NEW YORK — A community panel in New York recommended Thursday that a racetrack slots operation in Yonkers owned by the same company that owns Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa should become a full-blown casino resort.
And a second racetrack slots operation in Queens was to be voted on for a similar upgrade Thursday afternoon.
A community advisory committee recommended a proposal by MGM Resorts International to upgrade its slots facility at the Empire City Casino, making it the first proposal for a new casino in or near New York City to advance.
New York state gambling regulators plan to select as many as three new casinos by the end of the year in what is viewed as a serious challenge to Atlantic City’s gambling market because many of its customers come from New York or the close-in suburbs.
Later Thursday, a separate advisory panel will vote on whether Resorts World New York, owned by the Malaysian gambling giant Genting, can do a similar expansion at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
That hearing is due to begin at 3 p.m. eastern time.
Gambling industry experts have long considered the two existing racetrack casinos to have an advantage in the competition because the add-ons could be much more quickly built and opened than creating a project from scratch.
In a statement, MGM expressed gratitude for the vote.
The last remaining proposal to build a casino in Manhattan was rejected Monday by a community panel in New York City, further winnowing the pool of potential competitors to Atlantic City’s casinos.
“We are grateful to the Community Advisory Committee and our local community for demonstrating their continued support for Empire City Casino,” it read. “For more than 100 years, Yonkers Raceway and Empire City have been intertwined with the City of Yonkers. We look forward to continuing to drive well-paying jobs for local residents and providing hundreds of millions of dollars in annual education revenue to the State of New York.”
MGM plans to make a $2.3 billion investment into the existing Empire City Casino, which it says would be the quickest of the New York proposals since the foundation of the business is already there.
The building would be reclad in a mix of modern metal paneling, screens and softer stone or stone-like accents, seeking to bridge the urban settings of Yonkers and New York City with the landscapes of Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.
Existing horse racing operations would continue, and five new restaurants would be added, along with a 5,100-seat entertainment venue.
On Monday, the last of three proposed Manhattan casinos was rejected by a community advisory board, leaving the heart of New York City without a casino.
The proposals included one by Caesars Entertainment, rap mogul Jay-Z and a major New York developer to build a $5.4 billion casino in the heart of Times Square; The Avenir, a $7 billion project next to the Javits Center at 11th Avenue and 41st Street, and the $11.1 billion Freedom Plaza casino-entertainment development on First Avenue near the United Nations building.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Wayne Parry:
609-272-7000
wparry@pressofac.com
X @WayneParryAC
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