The application deadline arrived for one of three downstate New York casino licenses.
Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) is officially in the mix.
RWNYC announced Friday that it submitted its bid for a commercial casino license to the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) in the borough of Queens, the latest step toward unlocking a $5.5 billion vision built on its longstanding partnerships with Southeast Queens and the state.
Key takeaways
- Resorts World New York City officially submitted a casino application for Queens.
- The project is a 5.6 million-square-foot proposal (73 acres).
- Sept. 30 is the next deadline to meet.
The 5.6 million-square-foot proposal reimagines New York City’s only casino as a resort for entertainment, gaming, dining, recreation, and expansive public amenities not only for in-state and in-city residents, but for global visitors as well.
“Fifteen years ago, Resorts World made a promise to turn this site into an economic engine for Southeast Queens, New York City, and New York State,” said Robert DeSalvio, president, Genting Americas East in a news release. “And we succeeded, now generating more casino revenues and taxes each year than any other commercial casino in the U.S. Today is a major milestone for us to propose the world-class Resorts World Integrated Resort and further commit to this partnership and provide new career opportunities and tax revenue almost immediately, as soon as July 2026.”
The 73-acre project will deliver world-class amenities that service the local community, the tri-state region, and international travelers – including many of the 63 million passengers who travel through nearby JFK airport every year.
It's expected table games and full-casino slot machine operations could launch within six months of receiving a Gaming Facility license.
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Numbers breakdown for the RWNYC Queens project
- 5,000 union construction jobs would be created
- 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with 6,000 slots and 800 table games
- 2,000 hotel rooms; a 7,000-seat entertainment venue; more than 7,000 car spaces
- 30 food and beverage outlets, large-scale meeting space; with more than 10 acres of community greenspace
Currently, RWNYC operates the city's only casino-hotel at the historic Aqueduct Racetrack with approximately 5,500 slot machines and electronic table gaming. It also runs a casino-hotel property in Monticello.
The process
All applications for one of the three downstate gaming licenses were due June 27. Community Advisory Committees (CACs) will form immediately thereafter and start their necessary statutory work.
Applicants must complete all entitlement processes (for example: land-use/zoning, State Environmental Quality Review Act, etc.) before Tuesday, Sept. 30, as all CACs must vote on their respective project that day. Those applicants approved by their CAC will then submit supplemental application material – including a proposed tax rate – to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (NYGFLB) for evaluation and consideration.
The NYGFLB expects to make decisions by Monday, Dec. 1, with Commission licenses by New Year's Eve (Wednesday, Dec. 31), ensuring the state collects the already-booked casino license fees ahead of schedule.
