The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma continues to shop for an upstate New York community that will embrace its pitch for a casino-based entertainment resort.

Bringing back an idea they flirted with briefly in 2004, the Seneca-Cayugas are now proposing a project for the city of Auburn.

And they seem to have a vocal supporter in Mayor Tim Lattimore.

The mayor issued a press release late Friday afternoon announcing that he's invited the tribe and their development partner to make a presentation at the June 22 Auburn City Council meeting, and in that press release, the mayor touted the economic benefits of such a project.

Just as they have in Sennett (not to mention Rochester, Sullivan County and Ulster County), the Seneca-Cayugas promised to spend millions on construction, employ hundreds at the resort itself, pay taxes and drop its land claim.

But as alluring as such a project may seem, local officials need to forget about it.

Putting the debate about the social costs of a casino aside, our elected leaders need to realize that there is no political will on the state and federal level to allow this project to go through.

And any time spent pursuing this pie-in-the-sky casino is time wasted trying to lure other businesses to the area.

Led by Gov. George Pataki, state officials have made it clear they are no longer interested in dealing with any out-of-state tribes seeking gaming compacts. And the U.S. Congress is likely to follow the same direction as the state.

Moreover, the land claim that the tribe says it would drop in exchange for approval of its project has already been dropped - by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lattimore has said this casino is Auburn's best chance to replace the jobs lost at the massive manufacturing sites in this community.

While his ambition to create jobs deserve praise, he needs to refine his approach. He and others need to focus on bringing solid employers to the area with proven records of success in getting projects done.