Key lawmakers, backed by the highly effective lodge and on line casino staff union, are pushing Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature to take motion this yr to award as much as three on line casino licenses within the New York Metropolis area.
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Now’s the time to roll the cube on the Large Apple, on line casino proponents say.
Key lawmakers, backed by the highly effective lodge and on line casino staff union, are pushing Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature to take motion this yr to award as much as three on line casino licenses within the New York Metropolis area.
The transfer comes after the New York State Gaming Fee launched its a lot anticipated mobile-sports-betting operation Saturday, say legislators and playing proponents.
The pitched on line casino growth might present 1000's of wanted jobs to make up for the deep employment loss throughout the two-year coronavirus pandemic, they are saying.
“Issuing full gaming on line casino licenses downstate has moved to the highest of my agenda,” mentioned Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), chairman of the state Meeting Committee on Gaming and Wagering.
Pretlow mentioned Genting’s Resorts World playing parlor at Aqueduct race monitor and MGM’s Empire Metropolis slots parlor at Yonkers Raceway would have a “head begin” to win two of the three downstate gaming licenses to develop to incorporate desk video games. The venues are presently solely permitted to supply Lottery Division’s slot-style video lottery terminal video games.
“They’re already up and working. They've the room so as to add desk video games and the sources to pay the license price,” Pretlow mentioned of the places. “Let’s go!”
Joe Addabbo (D-Queens), the chair of the Senate playing committee, agreed that motion to license downstate casinos ought to begin this yr.
“We must always have income from licensing charges included within the state price range,” mentioned Addabbo, whose district consists of Resorts World at Aqueduct.
The licenses might fetch upward of $750 million for the state treasury, the lawmakers mentioned.
Addabbo additionally envisions MGM and Resorts World being awarded licenses to transform into full casinos that embody desk video games. He mentioned each corporations have a monitor document and political help from the encircling communities.
“What we’re searching for is pace to market,” he mentioned.
However Addabbo mentioned he additionally helps the awarding of a license for a 3rd on line casino for a area that features New York Metropolis, Lengthy Island and the northern suburbs — Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties.
“It’s a giant area. Plenty of areas could be checked out,” he mentioned.
The Queens lawmaker dominated out Manhattan as a result of it already serves as a vacationer mecca with the Broadway theater district and different leisure venues.
Hundreds of lodge staff who misplaced their jobs throughout the pandemic might be rehired by metropolis casinos, mentioned a labor chief representing 40,000 lodge and on line casino staff.
“After practically two years of unprecedented layoffs in New York’s hospitality sector, there’s just one factor that can pave the trail to restoration: extra high-quality jobs. With a sensible, accountable strategy to new on line casino licenses, we've got the chance to place unemployed hospitality staff again to work whereas additionally giving our financial system a a lot wanted enhance,” mentioned Wealthy Maroko, president of the Lodge and Gaming Trades Council Union.
“Current gaming services like Resorts World in Queens and Empire Metropolis On line casino in Yonkers are in a singular place to offer that enhance shortly and effectively,” he mentioned. “What we want now could be for our state leaders to step up and provides us the instruments to guard staff and create new employment alternatives.”
Resorts World at Aqueduct, which not too long ago opened a lodge, mentioned it’s keen to acquire a license to develop its on line casino operations to incorporate desk video games like black jack, baccarat, craps and poker.
“Between the upcoming launch of our cell sports activities platform and the potential for a full on line casino license in Queens, we couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about the way forward for gaming in New York and the financial advantages it would deliver folks throughout the town and state,” Resorts World mentioned in an announcement.
“If granted a full on line casino license, we’ll be capable to instantly rent and prepare tons of of latest union members, generate much more income for public colleges, and proceed to be a robust financial engine for native small companies and the group.”
The gaming fee despatched out a request for expressions of curiosity and acquired letters from a few dozen on line casino operators and different entrepreneurs who mentioned they might apply for one of many three downstate on line casino licenses.
Manhattan’s East River waterfront is being eyed as a location for a “Monte Carlo”-style on line casino that will instantly turn out to be the world’s “hottest” playing facility, mentioned its promoter, Water Membership restaurateur Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe.
Different heavy hitters who submitted preliminary letters of curiosity are: Bally’s; Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Wynn Resorts; Arduous Rock Worldwide; UE Resorts, which operates the Okada on line casino in Manila, and Rush Road Gaming, which operates a on line casino in upstate Schenectady, in addition to Resorts World at Aqueduct and MGM’s Empire Middle in Yonkers.
The Shinnecock Indian Nation based mostly in Southampton, LI, additionally desires to open a on line casino.
The difficult difficulty is what affect the New York Metropolis space casinos would have on struggling upstate casinos.
Upstate New York has 11 of the ‘Vegas-style” casinos that provide slots, desk video games, sports activities betting and a bunch of leisure facilities. Seven are run by Indian nations, and 4 are non-public business casinos licensed by the state.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers beforehand concentrated casinos in a bid to spice up jobs in depressed communities.
A referendum accredited by voters in 2013 licensed seven potential full-service on line casino licenses within the state. However Cuomo and state lawmakers agreed to begin with simply 4 business casinos upstate, excluding gaming contracts with the state’s Indian nations.
The three remaining gaming licenses had been earmarked for downstate at a later date.
There are full-service casinos in northern New Jersey and in neighboring Connecticut.
The closest on line casino to the town in New York state is the Resorts World Catskills On line casino about 100 miles away, which opened in 2018.
The three different business state-licensed casinos are Rivers On line casino & Resort in Schenectady, del Lago Resort & On line casino close to Waterloo within the Finger Lakes and Tioga Downs in Nichols close to Binghamton.
One playing knowledgeable mentioned the growth of playing within the inhabitants wealthy New York Metropolis space can be a profitable draw however might siphon revenues and even set off closings of a number of of the upstate casinos.
“Downstate New York is the place the inhabitants is,” mentioned Clyde Barrow, a political science professor on the College of Texas’s Rio Grande Valley campus, who research casinos. “However it’s virtually inevitable that upstate casinos would shut. It’s only a query of when and the way.”
Hochul’s workplace declined remark, referring inquiries to the gaming fee.
The gaming fee is obligated to organize and distribute a report with the outcomes of the request for info submissions from on line casino operators to the governor and the legislature no later than six months from December 10, 2021, a spokesman mentioned.
The state price for on line casino licenses will depend upon negotiations with the legislature, the spokesman mentioned.
“There isn't any current statutory authority that allows the award of extra business on line casino licenses,” the spokesman added.
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