A federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday ordered the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County to review and possibly grant permits for Suffolk Off-Track Betting to build a gambling facility in Medford.

Suffolk OTB President Phil Nolan says the corporation has been waiting nearly two years for such a measure. However, a civic group has opposed the proposed parlor, saying that it would bring more crime and traffic to the area.

As News 12 has reported, both Brookhaven Town and the state's gambling commission claimed that they didn't have jurisdiction to approve the building permit requests. That's why Suffolk OTB went to court in September to ask a federal bankruptcy judge to force either the town or state to approve its permit requests.

Nolan says the favorable ruling paves the way for the casino to be built. He says that it will ultimately benefit Suffolk County by producing jobs and generating tax revenue.

Despite the positive claims, the Medford Taxpayers and Civic Association in March filed a court injunction to halt the project. The group's attorney, Peter Creedon, says the lawsuit states that the mini-casino is not allowed at the location -- a parcel of land off the Long Island Expressway service road -- under Brookhaven zoning laws.

Creedon says a lawsuit over the legality of the casino will be heard in state Supreme Court in Riverhead Dec. 9. A ruling is expected before the end of the month.

If the judge rules in favor of the civic group, Creedon says it would make Tuesday's decision by the federal bankruptcy judge irrelevant.