New York Senate passes bill to speed up NYC casino timeline
SB 9673 will be sent to governor Kathy Hochul for approval.
US.- In the final days of the legislative session, New York lawmakers have approved a bill to expedite the awarding of casino licences in New York City. The New York legislature had been set to adjourn on June 6 but stayed past that cut-off to vote on the bill.
SB 9673, proposed by senator Joseph Addabbo and assemblyman Gary Pretlow, has been passed by the Senate and the Assembly and will be sent to governor Kathy Hochul for approval. An amendment added by Addabbo dictates that the New York Gaming Facility Location Board must make recommendations on selecting downstate casinos by December 31, 2025.
Applications will be due by August 31 of this year and the deadline for licences to be issued would be March 31, 2026. SB9673 also allows interested developers to apply for casino licenses while still in the process of resolving land use issues.
New York plans to issue three downstate casino licences. Applicants must meet certain environmental standards, including the State/City Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). There are 11 known contenders. MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands and Caesars Entertainment are among the operators to have set out initial plans.
