NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets Stadium in Queens. A golf course in the Bronx that was once run by a president. Donald Trump company. A gaming room at a racetrack near John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Three disparate properties located far from the tourist center of Manhattan will become the future homes of the first Las Vegas-style casino resorts in New York.
The state Gaming Commission on Monday granted three projects licenses to operate in the lucrative metropolitan market during a meeting at a waterfront park in upper Manhattan.
The commission approved the licenses with the condition that each company appoint an external monitor who will report regularly to the commission to ensure that they are meeting their financial and legal obligations, as well as the promised investments they have made in local communities.
Brian O'Dwyer, the commission's chairman, said the state looks forward to delivering on promises of jobs, infrastructure improvements and gaming revenue.
“You all have an important task ahead of you, and you can rest assured that this committee respectfully accepts the responsibility of keeping you on your toes,” he told project officials present.
Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement that the projects would bring billions of dollars to the state's transportation and education systems and create tens of thousands of jobs.
But a handful of protesters opposed to Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen's Hard Rock plan have vowed to continue their fight in court. They and other casino opponents are concerned that the projects will only increase gambling addiction.
“You chose a billionaire over New Yorkers! Shame on you!” – the group shouted as they left the meeting.
Cohen and Hard Rock's proposal calls for $8.1 billion A casino complex in the parking lot next to the Mets' Citi Field that will include a performance venue, hotel and retail space.
Bally's suggested approx. 4 billion dollar casino at Ferry Point Golf Course in the Bronx, which will include a hotel, events center, meeting space, restaurants and other amenities.
And Resorts World offered to invest more 5 billion dollars expand its slot machine parlor at Aqueduct Speedway in Queens into a full-fledged casino with a hotel, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Projects have surpassed a few more suggestions it took a back seat during the high-stakes competition.
Among them were three casinos proposed for Manhattan which were rejected by local councils, including Caesar's Palace in the heart Times Square with the support of rapper Jay-Z. A plan to build a resort on Brooklyn's famed Coney Island waterfront was also defeated by local opposition, and MGM abruptly pulled out of the once crowded lottery despite local support.
The state Gaming Commission was given the authority to license up to three casinos in the New York area after voters approved a 2013 referendum that opened the door to casino gambling statewide.
Four full-fledged casinosUpstate now has table games. The state also manages nine gaming rooms without live table games, many are also located within a few miles of Manhattan.
Monday's decision was, in some ways, largely a formality. Millions of dollars in gambling revenue already taken into account to the state budget.
The State Commission is also responsible for reviewing the commission's proposals. recommended licensing all three remaining offerings earlier this month.
The location of the gambling establishment, in your written decisionargued that the region's densely populated and relatively wealthy population, combined with high levels of tourism, would be able to support all three plans despite their relative proximity to each other.
The group said its consultants conservatively estimate casinos will generate a total of $7 billion in gaming tax revenue between 2027 and 2036, plus $1.5 billion in licensing fees and nearly $6 billion in state and local taxes.
Monday's decision also means Trump could claim a significant prize. When Bally acquired the rights to operate a city-owned Ferry Point Golf Course from the Trump Organization in 2023, it agreed to release additional $115 million if it won a casino license.
Trump Organization officials did not respond to an email seeking comment Monday on the expected windfall.
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Follow Philip Marcelo on https://x.com/philmarcelo
