Pol: Cuomo plan threatens Belmont casino

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's plan to build the nation's largest convention center and possibly a casino at Aqueduct Racetrack would "effectively kill" plans for a Shinnecock Indian casino at Belmont Park, a Long Island state senator said Wednesday.

Cuomo's emphasis on Aqueduct, in nearby Ozone Park, Queens, "would make it less likely that a casino would be viable at Belmont, but certainly opens up all kinds of possibilities for redevelopment," said Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola), who has pushed for a casino or other development at Belmont.

Cuomo announced Wednesday in his State of the State speech that New York was negotiating with the Genting Organization to build a $4-billion, 3.8-million-square-foot convention center at Aqueduct to replace the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, which has long been criticized as being too small.

While Cuomo didn't say that a Las Vegas-style casino was part of the plan for Aqueduct, an administration official who asked not to be identified said the assumption was "that if a constitutional amendment is passed, there will be a full casino."

"If . . . they were to put a convention center of that size at Aqueduct and possibly expand gaming operations there, it might make it more difficult for there to be another gaming venue in such close proximity," at Belmont, said Assemb. Edward Ra (R-Franklin Square). "It might be wise to look at some other avenues for development," Ra said, noting that an outlet mall or a community use such as a soccer field have been discussed for Belmont in the past.

Randy King, chairman of the Shinnecock tribal trustees, said the tribe "hopes and expects" that Cuomo's gaming plans include Indian casinos, including those the tribe hopes to build at Belmont and in Yaphank.

King said casinos at Belmont Park, in Elmont, and Aqueduct could benefit each other. "The synergies can play off each other and work, so that there's room for more than one casino," King said. "As the governor is moving to the next level in his plan for the state, we're more than ready to move to the next level ourselves."

Genting would finance the construction of the convention center and hold a long-term lease from the state. The project would be finished by 2017, an administration official said. Malaysia-based Genting opened a racino at Aqueduct in October.

After the speech, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) told reporters that he was not a fan of gaming, but backed Cuomo's plans for Aqueduct. "It's time to keep the money in New York," Silver said.

With Mark Harrington