Bally’s Bronx, Resorts World New York, and Hard Rock Metropolitan Park are one major step closer to becoming a reality in the U.S.’s largest city.
Key Takeaways
- Resorts World New York will be the city’s first casino with live-dealer table games.
- The gaming location board cited several factors in its decision.
- Not everyone at the meeting was happy about the projects being approved.
All three casino bids received location approval from the New York Gaming Facility Location Board on Monday. The projects can now seek an operating license from the New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) for their billion-dollar hotel and entertainment complexes that are expected to infuse the city’s communities with “substantial" financial benefits.
The NYGC is expected to ratify the recommendations by Dec. 31, giving the casino projects the final approval necessary to give New York City its first fully-operational, live-dealer gaming casinos.
Bally’s Bronx will be located at the site of the Bally’s Golf Links. Hard Rock Metropolitan Park is led by Mets owner Steve Cohen, who is building the complex adjacent to Citi Field in Queens. Resorts World New York is already located in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens and currently operates video gaming at the Aqueduct Racetrack.
“The downstate market is among the strongest in the nation, supported by population density, income levels, and tourism,” board member Greg Reimers said. “The sizable population within a two-hour drive will support sustained visitation supplemented by domestic and international travelers. Each proposal presents a strong competitive positioning, based on brand strength, amenities, and facility design.”
New York law allows for four casino licenses to be awarded, but the gaming facility location board had only three bids that were approved by community advisory boards after MGM Resorts withdrew its Empire City bid on Oct. 14. No Manhattan projects made it past the community advisory stage.
The announcement of the decisions didn’t come without controversy, as numerous public visitors shouted “Shame on you!” for nearly a minute during the meeting.
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Community benefits
The three casino projects are projected to generate incremental annual gaming tax revenue of nearly $1 billion in 2036, totaling $7 billion between 2027 and 2036. Another $1.5 billion in licensing fees is also expected. State and local taxes, property, and sales should also generate $5.9 billion, while problem gambling programs will receive $10.7 million annually, according to the board.
The board said several factors were included in their decisions, with community commitments at the forefront.
While the board said not one factor was determinative, 70% of the deciding categories for approval were economic activity and business development. Local impact siting, workforce enhancement, and diversity framework made up 10% each of the remaining factors
The board expects there to be infrastructure and transit improvements, local business partnerships, and commitments to community-based organizations, “ambitious” commitments to work toward community investment, diversity, and unionized hiring.
The board said there are concerns about these commitments being met, and those will be outlined in a document posted later on its website.
Gaming complexes
Resorts World New York is the closest to opening, with plans to have hundreds of table games operating by March 2026. The Aquaduct site will eventually receive a $5.5-billion renovation as part of a $7.5-billion proposal to add a 50,000-square-foot gaming floor, 2,000 hotel rooms, and a 7,000-seat entertainment venue, along with 12 acres of green space and 7,000 parking spots.
“Resorts World New York City’s journey to this historic moment represents more than 15 years of work to generate jobs, revenue, and opportunities for our neighbors,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East. “Resorts World New York City’s $7.5 billion proposal is the only bid that can expand operations in just 90 days, generating billions in new revenue for mass transit and public education over the next four years. We are thankful the Gaming Facility Location Board recognized the tremendous economic impact we will have for New York State.”
Cohen’s $8-billion Metropolitan Park project had one of the hardest roads to this point as it will be built on parking lots that were deemed parkland and needed lawmaker involvement to receive approval on the 50-acre site. The Hard Rock casino complex will include a hotel, music venue, restaurants and bars, and a new park space.
Bally’s Bronx’s $4-billion project at Ferry Point Park will be on the site of a golf course that was previously owned by Donald Trump’s organization. The 23-story complex will house a 500,000-square-foot gaming facility and 500 hotel rooms, and Bally’s estimates that it will add $625 million in community benefits with the casino project.
