IRVING, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Seneca Nation and New York State have reached a new agreement on a new gaming deal, the Seneca Nation announced Wednesday.

The new agreement will be for 20 years.

The Seneca Nation has been in negotiations with New York State on a new Compact for several months. The current Compact, which was signed in 2002, expires on December 9.

“Negotiating a fair contract was critical to the future of the Seneca Nation and the future of Western New York,” Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr. said. “Throughout months of negotiations, our focus remained on arriving at a fair deal that secured the future of our gaming operations, the vital funding our operations provide for critical services for our people, and the significant jobs and economic benefits they generate in Western New York. We made it clear that we would not settle for anything less.”

Armstrong acknowledged that at times the negotiations with the state were “tense,” and will be finalized in the coming days.

“We are committing ourselves to getting this new Compact in place so that we can continue to transform life for the Seneca people and the economy in Western New York for generations to come,” he said.

The Seneca Nations runs three casinos in Western New York: Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo.