The&nbsp;State Gaming Commission will award three casino licenses in December. Keep up with Newsday&#39;s coverage of casino bids in New York.&nbsp;

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Region/State

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Yancey Roy

A state panel on Monday recommended issuing casino licenses to two applicants in Queens and one in the Bronx, awarding the three bidders who survived a yearslong process and sounding bullish on a business model that has overpromised elsewhere but that backers contend&nbsp;can generate billions of dollars for the state in just a decade. 
The Gaming Facility Location Board recommended licenses be granted to Hard Rock casino adjacent to Citi Field, Bally’s at Ferry Point in the Bronx and Resorts World at Aqueduct Racetrack. 
The panel's announcement sparked sustained outcries of "shame on you" that momentarily halted proceedings at a City University of New York meeting center in Manhattan. But it also&nbsp;put the almost-finishing touches on a casino siting process that began more than a decade ago. 
The recommendations now advance to the full New York State Gaming Commission&nbsp;for its approval or rejection later this month. The commission typically accepts the board’s decisions. 
The five-member location board signaled that economics and tax revenue were its primary considerations, noting the statutory criteria outlined in state law required 70% of its scoring to hinge on potential "economic activity and development." Site impact, workforce and diversity made up the other 30%.&nbsp; 
They noted that each of the three license winners must soon fork over a $500 million licensing fee that primarily will benefit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to help upgrade mass transit. 
They said&nbsp;the casinos project generating a total $7 billion in state tax revenue by 2036 and an additional $6 billion in hotel, property and other taxes over that span. 
Board members said they saw no reason to withhold any of the three available licenses, even though they weren't obligated to issue all of them. They said they were confident of the financial projections, even while considering market saturation and a trend&nbsp;of casinos nationwide overpromising financial benefits. 
"The downstate market is among the strongest in the nation, supported by density, income levels and tourism," board member Greg Reimers said in a prepared statement after the vote. "No alternative scenarios produce a comparable revenue or fiscal benefit." <a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/a3991d3d-8ba2-47f9-b104-92e52092f9b8" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a3991d3d-8ba2-47f9-b104-92e52092f9b8', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a3991d3d-8ba2-47f9-b104-92e52092f9b8">STORYWIDGET: stCASINO251202_map</a> 
<h3>Lengthy process</h3> 
The state began this process more than a decade ago, starting with a 2013 statewide referendum and aiming to sanction four upstate and three downstate casinos. The four upstate casinos have been operating for a number of years — with varying degrees of success. 
Downstate, more than a dozen companies once promised to bid for a license. Eight spent millions of dollars preparing site plans, figuring out zoning and unions,&nbsp;making public presentations and formally submitting bids in June. 
But four were voted down by neighborhood screening panels and another, MGM/Yonkers Raceway, withdrew, citing economic factors. 
That left just the two proposals in Queens and one in the Bronx. 
Bally's and Hard Rock say they could open in 2030. Hard Rock has partnered with Steve Cohen, the hedge fund manager who owns the Mets. Bally's acquired its site from the Trump Organization — and will pay President Donald Trump's company a $115 million windfall now that it has won a license, per the parties' agreement. 
Resorts World already operates a video slots machine parlor and hotel at Aqueduct and, therefore, always had promised it could be the quickest to open a full casino. It says it can open a significant portion of the full casino by June 2026. 
<h3>Independent projections</h3> 
Board chairwoman Vicki Breen said members were aware of the trend of casinos offering higher economic projections than eventually realized. She said they based their projections on reviews by independent consultants hired by the board, not the casino applicants themselves. 
"We did look at every applicant very skeptically," Breen told reporters after the vote. 
Asked whether the proximity of the three locations was a factor, Breen said board consultants concluded "the market was big enough." 
She said the three also were different enough to avoid cannibalizing the market. 
"They are very different in concept," Breen said, noting Bally's has an upscale golf course, Hard Rock will build an "entertainment district" nestled around Citi Field and near the U.S. Tennis Center and Resorts World/Aqueduct already has an "existing clientele" that it can grow. 
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has no direct role in the licensing decision, said the three projects could be beneficial economically but said the full Gaming Commission must look closely at each. 
"The three projects approved today promise to unlock billions in funding for the MTA and create tens of thousands of jobs," Hochul said in a statement. "It is critical that they keep those promises. I look forward to the Gaming Commission’s review of the board’s recommendations in the weeks ahead."

STCASINO251202

State board recommends licenses for all 3 remaining NYC casino sites

Board supports all 3 remaining NYC casino sites

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Nicholas Spangler

Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen and partners moved forward on Tuesday in their bid to build a casino near Citi Field. 
The Hard Rock at Metropolitan Park won unanimous approval from a local committee for an $8 billion project, the fourth and final proposal still under consideration in a yearslong competition for three lucrative <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-times-square-nmtub826">downstate casino licenses</a>. The state Gaming Commission will award the licenses in December. 
The three other bids are for<a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/bronx-casino-ycbnechr"> Bally’s Bronx</a>, at a golf course formerly run by the Trump Organization, and at MGM Empire City and Resorts World New York City, existing racinos that already have limited gambling facilities in Yonkers and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/mgm-yonkers-raceway-casino-license-k7r2zhxl">Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens</a>. 
Metropolitan Park would bring 5,000 slot machines, 375 dealer tables, and 30 poker tables to Willets Point, along with a 5,650-seat event venue and 1,000 hotel rooms. The project would be built on 50 acres the partnership says was mapped as parkland in the 1960s but only ever used as parking lots. 
The redevelopment would include 25 acres of green space and a food court where some street vendors who now sell on nearby Roosevelt Avenue could do business. In total, the partnership says in filings on the state gaming commission website, it will invest $1.75 billion in "community needs including infrastructure, open space and parks" while creating thousands of jobs with an average total compensation of $140,000. 
All six members of the Metropolitan Community Advisory Committee voted in support of the Metropolitan Park proposal in a lightly attended meeting at Queens Borough Hall where many of the attendees wore buttons or stickers that proclaimed "I support Met Park." 
&nbsp;"The Community Advisory Committee’s unanimous approval underscores the deep and broad community support behind Metropolitan Park," said&nbsp;Karl Rickett, Metropolitan Park spokesperson.&nbsp;"We are grateful for the opportunity to move forward in this process and be one step closer to making Metropolitan Park’s community-first vision a reality."&nbsp; 
The committee members include&nbsp;appointees of Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and elected officials for the area including State Sen. Jessica Ramos, a one-time casino opponent who said in an interview last spring that a casino "is not the kind of development my community deserves."&nbsp;Ramos could not be reached on Tuesday. 
In an interview after the vote, George R. Dixon, a former Democratic district leader for the 35th district in Queens, said Ramos had not changed her mind but had told him to make his own decision. He said he voted yes because he believed a casino would bring jobs and make good use of "a space that had just been sitting there." 
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards&nbsp;Jr., who represented himself on the committee, made a similar argument before voting: &nbsp;"Queens hit the jackpot ... Queens, get the money," he said, appearing to quote rapper Nas from the stage where committee members sat.&nbsp; 
Speaking later with reporters, Richards said he hoped the casino development would turn its neighborhood into a "cultural hub" while creating thousands of jobs, with treatment available for people with gambling addictions. &nbsp;Cohen, he said, had succeeded partly because he had built trust in the borough. "During COVID, Steve gave us $20 million, straight into small business grants ... Citi Field opened for vaccination sites. There’s built-in trust for the organization." 
Although&nbsp;upstate casinos have helped host towns reduce property taxes, none of the four casinos awarded licenses in 2015 and 2016 met their projected gaming tax distributions in 2019, and only one met it by 2022, according to the state comptroller.&nbsp; 
Memo Salazar, a filmmaker from Sunnyside who is co-chair of the Western Queens Community Land Trust, which has called the casino deal a "land grab," said in a phone interview on Tuesday the optimism at Borough Hall overlooked costs associated with gambling addiction and the loss of public land. 
"It’s insulting, offensive, and disastrous to the economy of the area," he said. The promise of gambling treatment at the site, he said, sounded to him like "handing out a drug, then saying we’ll help drug addicts."

New York

NYCASINO251001

Bid to build casino near Citi Field approved by neighborhood committee

$8B Citi Field casino plan wins approval of neighborhood committee

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A community panel voted Monday in favor of a proposed casino in the Bronx, granting it the necessary approval to stay in the competition for one of three licenses the state will award in December. 
But a separate local review board voted down a Coney Island casino proposal, putting an end to developers' hopes to bring gambling to the entertainment venue in Brooklyn. 
The outcomes mean that, so far, just three of seven real estate and gambling partnerships have survived an <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-times-square-nmtub826">up-or-down vote</a> by local screening committees. The eighth, and final, bidder goes before a similar panel in Queens on Tuesday. 
Winning local approval — through a designated "Community Advisory Committee" — is necessary for the projects to be considered by the state Gaming Facility Location Board and the full Gaming Commission in December. 
On Monday morning, the Bronx advisory panel voted 5-1 to advance a proposal by Bally’s for a full casino in the Ferry Point Park section near the Whitestone Bridge. It now joins proposals for Yonkers Raceway and Aqueduct Racetrack as finalists for a license. 
"This is a tremendous project that will bring a resort that will attract tens of thousands of guests every day," said Lisa Sorin, a panelist who was appointed by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. 
The lone opponent, City Council appointee Danielle Volpe, countered: "This will add traffic, crime and instability to our community." 
If Bally's wins a full license, it could be lucrative for President Donald Trump. The site is a golf course formerly owned by the Trump Organization. Bally's paid it $60 million for the lease rights to the site and will fork over another <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/ballys-bronx-casino-bid-advances-final-approval-would-mean-a-big-payday-for-trump">$115 million</a> to the Trump Organization if it wins a casino license. 
Monday afternoon in Brooklyn, the local screening panel voted 4-2 against a casino proposed by developer Thor Equities and partners. Panelists voiced opposition to changing the character of the Coney Island waterfront. 
"It really is an irreplaceable treasure, and I hope we continue to recognize what a unique and value place Coney Island is," panelist Marissa Solomon said, adding that she wants it to "remain what it always should be: The people's playground." 
A week earlier, panels quashed three separate proposals in Manhattan: projects eyed for <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/mgm-yonkers-raceway-casino-license-k7r2zhxl">Times Square, Hell's Kitchen</a> and the East Side.

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Bronx casino plan gets approval from advisory panel, while Coney Island proposal falls short

Bronx casino plan gets OK, but not Coney Island

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ALBANY – Five down. Three to go. 
The final three bidders in the competition to land a lucrative downstate casino license face a huge hurdle this week when they ask neighborhood screening panels to allow their projects to go forward. 
Casino proposals in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens will go before “Community Advisory Committees,” six-member panels that must vote on whether there is enough local support to advance the bid to the state Gaming Commission, which plans on awarding three licenses in December. 
The projects must receive four votes to survive. It’s a requirement that already has quashed three separate casino bids in Manhattan. 
Given the divergent views on casinos, state legislators said mandating some sort of community vote was crucial. 
“It allows some sort of community oversight,” said Assemb. Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), chairman of the Assembly Gaming Committee. 
“A casino is a big step in any community and the people who have a vested interest in the area — not just the people trying to make money — should have a say,” Pretlow said. 
Notably, a community vote wasn’t mandated when four upstate casino licenses were awarded more than a decade ago. But siting a casino in densely populated areas was another thing, lawmakers said. 
“I think it was because the locations of these first four were more rural areas,” said Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Queens), chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee. “When we started on the downstate casino licenses, the talk was they are more nestled in residential areas. It’s more complex, more dense. So we should have this extra layer because, frankly, colleagues of mine didn’t want them in certain areas.” 
Winning community support has proved the highest hurdle for some. 
In Manhattan, proposed casinos for Times Square, West Side and East Side each were voted down, 4-2. 
In each instance, the projects were supported by appointees of Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Mayor Eric Adams but opposed by everyone appointed by a local official — borough president, city council member, state senator and state assemblyman. 
"They had to convince four locally elected people a casino is good for their neighborhood” but couldn’t do so, said Bennett Liebman, a government law professor at Albany Law School of Union University and a former member of the state Racing and Wagering Commission, the forerunner of&nbsp;today’s state Gaming Commission. 
In contrast, proposals for sites at Yonkers Raceway and Aqueduct Racetrack sailed through unanimously. 
Each site has been conducting racing for decades and operating a video slots parlor for more than a decade. A casino would just be an expansion of existing operations and jobs, panelists said. 
"For nearly 19 years, a racino has existed in Yonkers," said Joe Apicella, a Yonkers panel member, using the term for the combination racing-slots operations. 
On Monday, the local advisory committees will cast votes on proposals for Ferry Point (Bronx) and Coney Island (Brooklyn). Public hearings for each have drawn rowdy, noisy, divided crowds. The Brooklyn Paper recently reported a majority of committee members have signaled they will vote no on the Coney Island proposal. 
On Tuesday, the final project goes before a committee. Dubbed Metropolitan Park, it would be built near Citi Field by a group headed by Mets owner Steve Cohen. 
Asked how the community advisory process has gone so far, Addabbo said: “It seems to have worked out well.” 
“Some of my colleagues wanted this extra layer to say: 'Hey, when you build something the magnitude of a casino, there is a long-lasting impact on a community,’ " Addabbo said. “And this extra layer was community input.”

STCASINO250928

Community panels to vote on Bronx, Coney Island, Citi Field casino proposals this week

Community panels to vote on the final 3 downstate casino proposals

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Casino proposals for Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens and Yonkers Raceway received unanimous backing Thursday from local screening panels to apply for a full gaming&nbsp;license, making them&nbsp;the first two bidders to survive neighborhood scrutiny and advance to the next round of the downstate casino competition. 
The bids received enthusiastic support from their&nbsp;"community advisory committees,"&nbsp;even some applause after the votes were cast — a stark contrast with three Manhattan casino projects that were <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/times-square-casino-r351z9d9">quashed</a> by <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/manhattan-casino-a4glrodn">review panels</a> in the past week. The votes Thursday mean the Aqueduct and Yonkers proposals can be considered by a state board that plans to award licenses in December. 
"Sorry Jay-Z. We win again," Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said after voting yes for the Aqueduct bid, led by gambling giant Resorts World. Richards referenced the defeat last week of a Times Square casino proposal headlined&nbsp;by the rapper and entertainment impresario. 
Earlier in the day in Yonkers, local officials struck a similar tone.&nbsp; 
"I want to point out how smooth our application process was, especially in comparison to some in New York City," said Frank Jereis, a member of the Yonkers review panel,&nbsp;shortly before its 5-0 in favor of the MGM/Yonkers Raceway project. 
Fellow committee member Larry Wilson said he was voting yes "with high hopes and unbridled optimism." 
It was the latest development in a casino competition that began years ago but picked up steam this year. 
<a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-new-york-dr6igngy">Eight bidders submitted</a> applications in June for the three casino licenses the state expects to award in December. By law, an applicant must receive a "yes" vote from its community advisory committee by Sept. 30 to be considered&nbsp;by the State Gaming Facility Location Board. 
Getting neighborhood backing would be the <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-times-square-nmtub826">highest hurdle for some</a> proposals, analysts had said. And that proved true. 
Community panels terminated every bid focused on Manhattan: Times Square (led by Caesar's/Roc Nation), Hell's Kitchen (Silverstein/Rush Street Gaming) and East Side/United Nations (Soloviev/Mohegan Sun). In each instance, panelists said neighbors overwhelmingly opposed the building of a casino. 
Proposals for casinos at or near Coney Island, Ferry Point (Bronx) and Citi Field (Queens) are on deck. Coney Island and Ferry Point votes are slated for Monday; Citi Field, Tuesday. 
Circumstances were very different for Aqueduct and Yonkers Raceway — chiefly, because each site has been conducting racing for decades and operating a video slots parlor for more than a decade. A casino would just be an expansion of existing operations and jobs, panelists said. 
"For nearly 19 years, a racino has existed in Yonkers," said Joe Apicella, a Yonkers panel member,&nbsp;using the term for the combination racing-slots operations.&nbsp; 
"This facility has been begging — begging — for a full casino license for years," he said. "If any place can make it work, it's Yonkers." 
The proposal there calls for a full casino, a 5,000-person entertainment venue, parking garages&nbsp;and an array of restaurants/bars. 
In Queens, committee members lavishly praised Resorts World for providing an extensive development proposal, fielding panel questions along the way and being a "good neighbor" long before proposing a full-scale casino. 
"Resorts World has always been a good neighbor and I believe they are a very honest partner in community development," said Sen. James Sanders (D-Queens), a panel member. 
Resorts World, the franchise operated by Malaysian conglomerate Genting, has promised to "create a $5.5 billion integrated resort, the largest in the United States." It's also promised to fund a local business "incubator," a $150 million community development fund and 24,000 jobs.&nbsp; 
It also has said that if it wins a license, it could open its first phase of the new casino <a href="https://www.newsday.com/opinion/the-point/casino-license-bids-sands-ballys-new-york-hard-rock-resorts-p0phi7hf">by July</a>, a rapid timeline compared with the&nbsp;other bidders.

STCASINOS250926

Community advisory panels support casino proposals at Aqueduct, Yonkers Raceway

Community panels support casino proposals for Aqueduct, Yonkers Raceway

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There will be no casino in Manhattan after a local screening board on Monday declined to back a proposal on the borough’s East Side near the United Nations. 
In a meeting lasting less than nine minutes, the Community Advisory Committee voted 4-2 to oppose a bid headed by the Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun that called for a casino, entertainment complex, affordable housing units and waterfront park along FDR Drive between 38th and 41st streets. 
A negative vote by the panel effectively terminates the project, blocking it from being considered by the state board that will determine license winners in December. 
All three Manhattan projects — East Side, West Side and Times Square — now have been <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/times-square-casino-r351z9d9">squashed by local screening panels, </a>as many insiders and casino lobbyists had predicted. 
This leaves five competitors: in Yonkers, Ferry Point (Bronx), Citi Field (Queens), Aqueduct Racetrack (Queens) and Coney Island&nbsp;(Brooklyn). 
The local board votes for Yonkers and Aqueduct are slated for Thursday. 
All three Manhattan proposals lost by 4-2 votes. In each instance, appointees of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams voted to advance the project to the next round while appointees from the State Senate, Assembly, City Council and Manhattan borough president — the four locally elected officials — opposed. 
After the East Side vote, opponents issued a joint statement. 
&nbsp;"Our neighbors on the East Side of Manhattan have communicated to us, and to the [committee], through hours of public hearings, significant concerns regarding increased congestion, public safety&nbsp;and the quality of life concerns this project would introduce into our community. For this reason, we support the CAC’s decision today to not advance the casino proposal at Freedom Plaza," read the statement jointly issued by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine,&nbsp;City Council member Keith Powers, Sen. Kristen Gonzalez&nbsp;and Assemb. Harvey Epstein. 
Since casino bidding opened, a number of Manhattan elected officials had cast doubt on community support for any gambling expansion in the borough. Supporters and opponents often<a href="https://www.amny.com/new-york/manhattan/nyc-neighborhoods/murray-hill/east-side-freedom-plaza-casino-hearing-09152025/"> clashed verbally at state-mandated public hearings</a>.&nbsp; 
The East Side project — dubbed Freedom Plaza — drew mixed reaction, though multiple reports said supporters seemed to be a majority.&nbsp; 
After the vote that killed the project, Soloviev CEO Michael Hershman said the project was backed by unions, civic groups and neighbors and would have "revitalized" the East Side. 
"Manhattan is the undisputed capital of the world, and it deserved a fully integrated resort that would have attracted visitors while serving the needs of its community," Hershman said. 
Analysts of the process had often said winning local support <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-times-square-nmtub826">might be the highest hurdle </a>for&nbsp;any Manhattan proposal. 
"They had to convince four locally elected people a casino is good for their neighborhood,"&nbsp;Bennett Liebman, a government law professor at Albany Law School of Union University who has closely monitored the bidding process, told Newsday last week.

STCASINO250923

East Side casino plan falls as Manhattan proposals go zero for three with community panels

East Side casino plan rejected by community panel

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Two bidders found out last week what handicappers have been saying all along about the race for three downstate casino licenses in New York: Winning approval from a local advisory board might be the hardest step. 
A proposed Times Square casino — backed by rapper Jay-Z — and another on Manhattan’s West Side were <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/times-square-casino-r351z9d9">voted down</a> Wednesday by local screening panels. That kills those projects and leaves six remaining competitors for licenses slated to be awarded this year. 
Even some of them might face similar problems, based on public hearings over the summer. The key question is how many bidders will be left standing by Sept. 30 — the deadline for securing local approval. 
"What if only two get through?" said Bennett Liebman, a government law professor at Albany Law School of Union University and a former member of the state Racing and Wagering Commission, the forerunner to today’s state Gaming Commission. 
He called the prospect unlikely but not impossible. 
Some of the six remaining bidders have heard vocal opposition to their casino proposals in the past month, as they conducted state-mandated public hearings. 
For instance, at Coney Island, <a href="https://www.brooklynpaper.com/locals-largely-condemn-coney-casino-hearing/">brawls broke out</a> between casino supporters and opponents, the Brooklyn Paper reported. Speakers struggled to make themselves heard over the crowd noise and police broke up skirmishes. 
That proposed casino, dubbed "The Coney," is headed by real-estate developer Thor Industries. 
<a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-new-york-dr6igngy">The others</a> would be located at Aqueduct Racetrack (Queens), near Citi Field (Queens), East Side (Manhattan) near the United Nations, Ferry Point (Bronx) and Yonkers Raceway. 
All must receive a "yes" local vote by Sept. 30 to be considered by the state Gaming Facility Location Board. So far, the East Side/U.N. proposal is slated for a vote Monday; Yonkers and Resorts World/Aqueduct, Thursday. 
Winners are expected to be announced in December. 
<h2>Ensuring local support</h2> 
When the State Legislature enacted the law authorizing three downstate casinos, it wanted to make sure developers secured local support. It created the five- or six-member "community advisory committees" — appointed by elected officials — where bidders had to win at least two-thirds of the votes. 
Winning that support could be seen as the highest hurdle — certainly for bidders in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. 
The Times Square and the West Side proposals each lost the vote, 4-2. In each instance, the projects were supported by appointees of Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Mayor Eric Adams but opposed by everyone appointed by a local official — borough president, city council member, state senator and state assemblyman. 
"They had to know this was the hardest row to hoe," Liebman said. "They had to convince four locally elected people a casino is good for their neighborhood." 
After the votes, those locally elected people hailed the outcome. 
"Today's vote to stop both casino proposals is a reflection of the community’s wishes," said Assemb. Tony Simone (D-Manhattan). "Today was a win for this community." 
"I heard from residents and workers in both the areas of Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen about a casino’s likely effects on an already strained transportation system, adding congestion on crowded streets and sidewalks, unsafe street conditions, and exacerbating public health and safety issues in an area already facing quality-of-life challenges," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. 
<h2>Upcoming votes</h2> 
The Resorts World/Aqueduct proposal has been seen by many as a front-runner — in part because Resorts World has operated a massive video slot machine parlor there for years and, therefore, wouldn’t be seen as overhauling the community. 
Similarly, the Yonkers Raceway video slots operation has been in place for years, and the proposal to expand to a full casino received strong support at a recent hearing, according to <a href="https://westchester.news12.com/community-weighs-in-on-empire-city-casino-proposed-expansion">News 12 Westchester</a>. 
Like Coney Island, the Bronx Ferry Point project — site of a former Trump golf course — drew heated reactions at a public hearing. Police ushered out disrupters, and the committee at one point called a recess to cool down proceedings. However, a majority of speakers favored the project, according to the <a href="https://www.bxtimes.com/fireworks-at-second-hearing-on-ballys-casino-plan-for-throggs-neck-as-marmorato-voices-concerns-over-hecklers/">Bronx Times</a>. 
At the hearing for the proposed MetroPark/Citi Field casino — a project led by Mets owner Steve Cohen — proceedings were closed abruptly when opponents clashed with a committee member, according to the <a href="https://queenseagle.com/all/2025/9/16/metropolitan-park-hearing-ends-abruptly-after-clash">Queens Daily Eagle</a>. 
The East Side/U.N. project — dubbed Freedom Plaza — drew mixed reaction, though multiple reports said supporters seemed to be <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/article/second-freedom-plaza-casino-hearing-132144094.html">the majority</a> of those making public statements. 
The key question about the local committees, Liebman said, becomes "will the same voting patterns emerge?"

STCASINO250921

Downstate casino licensing: Community panel support may be the highest hurdle

Community panel support may be highest hurdle for casino licenses

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A Times Square casino plan backed by entertainment impresario Jay-Z and another planned for Manhattan's West Side both failed to make it past community screening panels Wednesday, dramatically slimming the field for three casino licenses the state will award this year. 
With almost no comment in a 10-minute meeting, a Community Advisory Council voted 4-2 against advancing the Times Square project to the Gaming Facility Location Board.&nbsp;About an hour later, a similar panel quashed the Silverstein Properties/West Side bid (dubbed "The Avenir"), also by a 4-2 vote. 
One of the developers of the Times Square bid was livid after the vote, berating the panelists as they exited the meeting, video of the proceedings showed. 
"This was a despicable display of cowardice, a complete lack of consideration for all the people who would benefit from this," said Marc Holliday, CEO of SL Green, the real estate company working with Caesar's and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/jay-z-casino-project-steve-wynn-g25ihdpm">Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation.</a> 
Every casino bidder must receive a positive vote from its local community council to advance to the next round. Wednesday's votes mean&nbsp;the projects on the West Side and at Times Square&nbsp;— the latter of which some insiders said could be the most lucrative for the state because of its location — cannot advance, a state official confirmed. 
The panels are composed of&nbsp;appointees of state and New York City leaders. In each vote Wednesday, appointees of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams voted to advance the casino bids but designees of the State Senate and Assembly, City Council and Manhattan borough president opposed. 
That <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-new-york-dr6igngy">leaves six&nbsp;competitors</a> who are&nbsp;proposing casinos at Coney Island (Brooklyn), Aqueduct Racetrack (Queens), Citi Field (Queens), East Side (Manhattan) near the United Nations, Ferry Point (Bronx) and Yonkers Raceway.&nbsp;All must receive a "yes" vote by Sept. 30 to advance.&nbsp; 
Las Vegas Sands put in work and money to prepare to bid for a casino at the Nassau Coliseum but <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/nassau-sands-casino-xyyuvitq">dropped out before</a> actually submitting a proposal. 
The two projects killed Wednesday faced&nbsp;vocal opposition at public hearings earlier this summer. 
<h3>Broadway opposition</h3> 
The Times Square vote was a big win for Broadway theaters and labor unions, who strongly opposed the casino. They said it would ruin Manhattan's Theater District. 
"This was a vote to protect the magic of Broadway for the 100,000 New Yorkers who depend on it for their livelihoods, and for the tens of millions who come from around the world to experience it," said Jason Laks, a member of the No Times Square Casino Coalition.&nbsp; "A casino can go anywhere, but Broadway only lives here." 
&nbsp;The losing bidders weren't happy. 
"The benefits you denied this community and state — you have to live with that history forever," Holliday said. He, Jay-Z and other partners said a casino, which would have been built at the current Minskoff Theatre, would have complemented, not hurt, Times Square. 
<h3>A hasty vote?</h3> 
Appointees of Hochul and Adams protested holding the votes Wednesday, noting the panels had until Sept. 30 and pointing out that each competitor had submitted a slew of amendments this week promising to build more housing in Manhattan and other benefits. 
"I believe that this vote should have been postponed," said Angel Vazquez, Hochul's appointee to the Avenir panel. "There are 13 days remaining till the deadline. There are nine full business days till the deadline. And we were in conversations about the housing proposal up until last night." 
Richard Gottfried, a former Manhattan assemblyman appointed to both casino councils, said the competitors have had years to develop projects before submitting them to the state last spring. 
"This is a process that, actually, has been going on several years," Gottfried said. "Our process has gone on, I guess, a couple of months.&nbsp;It has been as open and involved as I've seen in decades ... And I think we're ready for a vote." 
With Associated Press

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Community panels vote down proposed Times Square, West Side casino projects

Panels nix 2 casino projects, including Jay-Z backed plan for Times Square

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ALBANY — Mets owner Steve Cohen and partners got a green light Monday from the State Senate to allow them to put in a bid for a casino near Citi Field. 
The State Senate gave final passage to a bill that allows for a bit of park land near the field to change designation and be included as part of an $8 billion casino development project expected to be proposed by Cohen and Hard Rock International. 
The legislation doesn't guarantee Cohen will get one of the three available casino licenses, but merely allows him to put in a bid before the June 27 deadline. 
Winners are expected to be <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/new-york-casinos-grajtpy0">selected by the end of the year.</a> 
The senator who represents the land around Citi Field, Sen. Jessica Ramos, spoke passionately against the project. Still, the Senate swiftly and overwhelming voted to approve the land-use bill — 54-5 — with no real debate. 
Ramos (D-Queens) said that after a series of community town hall meetings and polls, she determined a casino &quot;is not the kind of development my community deserves.&quot; 
&quot;It’s not the future I want to build for Elmhurst or Corona or any part of Queens,&quot; Ramos said. Her vote was not a surprise — she had refused to carry the land-use bill in the Senate and the home senator’s support is usually necessary for any land-redesignation bill to go forward in the State Legislature. 
When Ramos balked, neighboring Sen. John Liu (D-Flushing) agreed to sponsor the bill in the Senate. 
When he revived the bill, <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-queens-bronx-park-land-ar0tqsdh">Liu told Newsday</a>&nbsp;the land in question was not really park land but really parking lots around Citi Field. He noted that the legislation merely allows Cohen to bid for a license and that failure to pass the legislation would have killed the project even before bids were submitted formally. 
&quot;Cohen and team can’t even submit an application without this bill,&quot; Liu said recently at the State Capitol. He didn’t speak about the bill during Monday’s vote. 
Importantly, the Senate acted just weeks after <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/las-vegas-sands-casino-cn1zmb0g">Las Vegas Sands quit its project </a>to bid for a casino at the Nassau Coliseum. Though the company dropped out, some potential bidders and lobbyists are still working to see if a new partnership might take over the Long Island project, according to a source — though time is growing short to put together a partnership. 
Meanwhile, Cohen’s project isn’t the lone one that needs help from Albany. 
In the Bronx, Bally’s Corp. has been looking to propose a casino at a public golf course formally owned by the Trump Organization. The project also needs park land legislation. 
But first, it also needs a &quot;home rule&quot; message from the New York City Council to request state legislation. And key members of the council have cast doubt on that prospect in the wake of the New York Times reporting Trump would receive a $115 million payment if Bally’s lands one of the casino licenses.

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State Senate OKs bill allowing Steve Cohen to bid for $8B casino project

State Senate OKs bill allowing Steve Cohen to bid for $8B casino project

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ALBANY — With a deadline for downstate casino applications fast approaching, two likely bidders are trying to clear legal hurdles before applying. 
They could get help through state legislation that key lawmakers are advancing. They also&nbsp;could get help via the state budget, according to sources, which officials are trying to settle this month. 
At least 11 entities have expressed a desire to bid for one of three available casino licenses. &quot;Substantially&quot; complete bids are supposed to be submitted to a state oversight board by June 27 — the next major milestone in what already has been a yearslong journey. Las Vegas Sands is one of the contenders, proposing a casino at the Nassau Coliseum site. 
Among the competitors, two companies need help legislatively because they are proposing to locate casinos, using parts of land (in Queens and the Bronx) that are legally designated parkland. The Bronx site has been a public golf course, once operated by the Trump Organization. The parkland involved at the Queens site&nbsp;is a Citi Field parking lot, near the Mets home stadium. 
The Queens proposal&nbsp;— headed by Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International — has faced some local opposition, but&nbsp;took a major step forward when State Sen. John Liu (D-Flushing) recently&nbsp;submitted&nbsp;legislation to allow the land conversion. Liu said the legislation merely allows Cohen to compete for a license, not guarantee it will win. 
&quot;Cohen and team can’t even submit an application without this bill,&quot; Liu said recently at the State Capitol. &quot;I understand where the parkland purists are coming from, but we have to be pragmatic. It’s not really parkland — it’s a parking lot and it has been for decades.&quot; 
Liu said he’s confident the bill would&nbsp;be approved before the scheduled end of the 2025 state legislative session on June 12. But with the June 27 bid deadline so close, other sources have said it is possible for the legislation to be tucked into a state budget deal expected to be hammered out this month. 
&quot;My guess is it gets done in the budget. I know they are trying to get it done,&quot; said one source who&nbsp;&nbsp;has worked on the casino issue. 
It’s not unusual for policy issues or controversial proposals to get tucked into a budget agreement. New York political history is littered with examples, such as Nassau County leasing its rights to site video-lottery terminals to the Resorts World casino at Aqueduct Racetrack. 
&quot;I’m not planning on that happening, but it wouldn’t be unheard of,&quot; Liu said when asked about the land conversion measure being included in the budget. 
The budget was supposed to be in place for April 1, the start of New York’s fiscal year. But Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Assembly and Senate have blown past the deadline and are looking at acting next week at the earliest. 
The Bronx proposal — headed by Bally’s, a major gambling and casino company — also needs a land-conversion bill. Assemb. Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx), the sponsor of such a bill, couldn’t be reached immediately to comment. 
The Bronx proposal also will face scrutiny because of its&nbsp;financial ties with President Donald Trump. The Trump Organization sold its interest in the golf course to Bally’s and the &quot;Trump Links&quot; signs were removed in 2024. 
But The New York Times has reported Trump will receive an additional $115 million if Bally’s lands one of the casino licenses under terms of the purchase agreement that hadn’t been previously disclosed. When the news broke, a key member of the New York City Council — which would have to approve a &quot;home rule&quot; message before the Bronx bill could go forward in Albany — cast doubt on officials backing actions that could result in such a windfall for Trump. 
For all the contenders —&nbsp;Bally's, Hard Rock, Sands and the rest — June 27 is the deadline for applications. Then, they will have until Sept. 30 to obtain a favorable vote from a local citizens advisory council to allow the bid to be considered by a state casino siting panel, which is expected to select winners in December.

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2 likely casino bidders in Queens, Bronx look to Albany for legislative help

Likely casino bidders in Queens, Bronx need legislative help from Albany

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Two groups are trying to clear legal hurdles to build a casino in Queens and the Bronx.

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Race is on to win casino license for Queens, the Bronx

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Casino ask for help

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ALBANY —&nbsp;New York likely won’t award downstate casino licenses before late&nbsp;2025, state regulators said Monday, as the timeline bidders expected keeps pushing back. 
Among the companies expected to seek a casino license is Las Vegas Sands, which has proposed a $4 billion casino resort on the Nassau Coliseum site. 
The adjusted timeline was outlined by state Gaming Commission Executive Director Robert Williams, who told board members Monday&nbsp;“practically it makes little sense” to open what will be a 30-day window for companies to put in bids until multiple regulatory hurdles are cleared — which could determine the companies that actually bid for the licenses. 
The issues include New York City zoning and land-use reviews and state environmental reviews that will take up most of 2024, Williams said. 
Then, each bidder must get approval to move forward from a local “citizens advisory council” — which, realistically, won’t happen before mid-2025. 
As a result, the casino siting board won’t be ready to make licensing decisions until “late 2025,” Williams said. He noted the state hasn't been banking on receipt of casino fees before the 2025-26 fiscal year.&nbsp; 
“Staff believes the timeline accommodates the existing statutory requirements … and allows sufficient time for local zoning approvals, which will enable the best, most comprehensive plans for commercial casino development,” Williams told the board. 
In January, lobbyists and industry insiders said they expected the 30-day bidding <a href="https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/downstate-casino-licenses-bids-dudog4na">window to begin in the first half</a>&nbsp;of this year, though by February it was clear the process wasn’t moving that quickly. 
A gambling law expert called a new timeline “inevitable.” 
“I don’t think they had much choice if you’re going to require all the zoning decisions in advance and the citizens advisory council decisions. That all has to be time consuming,” said Bennett Liebman, a government lawyer in residence at Albany Law School and a&nbsp;former member of the state’s Racing and Wagering Board, which morphed into the Gaming Commission. Still, he said the push back until&nbsp;the end of next year was a bit surprising. 
“I think it was a wise move — it’s good to let [bidders]&nbsp;know,” Liebman said. “But you don’t normally expect them to put it off that far. That’s a long time off.” 
He said the delay may&nbsp;be beneficial to companies facing legal hurdles. That includes Sands, whose lease to operate the Coliseum recently was <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/las-vegas-sands-casino-nassau-w2hwinop">declared invalid</a>&nbsp;by a state judge. Nassau County is appealing. 
Sands declined to comment Monday. 
The licensing delay also might give time to companies that&nbsp;need state approval of land-conveyance legislation for bids that involve parkland. Those projects include the Hard Rock/Steve Cohen proposal near Citi Field in Queens&nbsp;and Bally’s proposal for Ferry Point in the Bronx. 
Conversely, a main selling point for MGM/Yonkers Raceway has been “they’re ready to go,” Liebman said. Harness racing and video slots have been operating at the track for years, so Yonkers wouldn’t have to sort through tricky&nbsp;zoning and local-approval issues. 
Williams said another reason for waiting to open the 30-day bidding window is that when bids are submitted, companies must provide evidence they can fully fund the casino projects. Asking for such documentation too far ahead of license awards&nbsp;could impact bids, he said. 
“The encumbering of money well in advance of when a determination on licensing is made could substantially increase the costs of access to the capital markets, which could have an unintended impact of causing a reduction in the size and scope of a proposal,” Williams said.

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NYS casino licensing decisions delayed until late 2025

NY State: No decision on new casinos until late 2025

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New York casino proposals: Complete coverage

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