Board recommends all three New York casino proposals ahead of final vote
Metropolitan Park, Resorts World New York City and Bally’s Bronx proposal have all got the nod from the New York Gaming Facility Location Board.
US.- The New York Gaming Facility Location Board has approved all three of the remaining proposals for new downstate New York casino licences. The decision means that Metropolitan Park, Resorts World New York City and Bally’s Bronx proposal are all likely to go ahead, although the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) must vote and make final ratification on December 31.
If the NYSGC approves the applications, Resorts World would be up and running by spring while the other two casinos would be expected to open in 2030.
The five-member Gaming Facility Location Board comprised Cindy Rubi Estrada, Vicki Been, Terryl Brown, Marion Phillips, III and Greg Reimers. Been said the board had determined that ”awarding all three licenses best advances the state’s long-term economic, fiscal, and community objectives.”
The NYSGC said in a statement: “The Gaming Facility Location Board has performed a true public service. These five individuals volunteered hundreds of hours to review and digest thousands of pages of complex application material and ultimately made the best selections for the State of New York. We are all thankful for their dedication and service for what has been up until now a thankless task.
“We entered this process with a tabula rasa, and are concluding with three impressive projects that will transform communities, establish career opportunities for residents, and drive much-needed revenue to the MTA, public schools and the City.”
It added: “The Gaming Commission has already undertaken the background investigations of the applicants and is expeditiously applying its statutory license suitability criteria to ensure that these casinos are operated with utmost integrity and fiscal responsibility. A New York gaming license is a privilege – and this Commission will ensure those entities fortunate enough to be selected for licensure meet New York’s rigorous standards.”
The three applicants for a New York casino licence:
Genting Group’s Resorts World in Queens
Genting New York’s proposal is to convert its existing Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) in Queens into a full integrated resort. The $5.5bn, 5.6 million-square-foot development would feature a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with 6,000 slot machines and 800 table games, 2,000 hotel rooms, a 7,000-seat performance venue, over 30 food and beverage outlets and 10 acres of public greenspace.
Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International plan a $8bn casino resort at Citi Field ballpark in Queens. The Metropolitan Park complex would be located on 50 acres of parking space around the Mets’ ballpark. It would include new athletic fields, a renovated transit station, 20 acres of public park space and a food hall.
Bally’s
Bally’s Corporation proposes a casino in The Bronx next to the Trump Organization’s public golf course at Ferry Point. The complex would include a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor, a 500-room hotel with a spa and meeting space, shops, a 2,000-seat event centre, and two parking garages with capacity for up to 4,660 vehicles.
