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After several pitches to build casinos in Manhattan met their end in recent weeks, one project has finally gotten the necessary approval from its community advisory committee (CAC) and can now move on for scrutiny from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC).
CAC voted 5-0 on Thursday morning in favor of progressing the proposal
MGM Empire City is an existing slot parlor in Yonkers and its CAC voted 5-0 on Thursday morning in favor of progressing the proposal to get one of three downstate New York casino licenses. Committee members welcomed the tax revenue and jobs that the project would bring to the local area, while still acknowledging concerns of locals about the risks of flooding and increased crime.
Committee Chairman Jim Cavanaugh remarked that the vote effectively decided the facility’s future, as if it didn’t get a full-scale license, the properties that did would take away much of its current business.
It is hoping to spend about $1.7bn to expand its existing facility to turn it into a wide-ranging gaming destination with 183 live table games, a 5,000-seat venue, and 14 bars and restaurants.
Resorts World New York City is another existing slot parlor that hopes to join MGM Empire City in getting approval by its CAC. Other sites still in the race for a license are the Bally’s Bronx, the Coney on Coney Island, and a casino beside Citi Field in Queens, with all CAC votes to take place before the end of September.
The Jay-Z-backed proposal for Times Square, a project in Hudson Yards, and an East Side pitch were all rejected by their respective CACs. It’s an exciting time for gambling in New York, especially as a movement to legalize online casinos gains momentum.
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