(The Center Square) — New York gaming regulators have given a green light for three downstate casinos, including one at the site of a former golf course owned by President Donald Trump.
The Gaming Facility Location Board on Monday voted to recommend casinos for locations in Metropolitan Park at Willets Point, Queens, Resorts World New York City at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens and Bally’s Bronx in Throggs Neck. The five-member board will provide its recommendations to the state Gaming Commission, which is expected to vote on the plans before Dec. 31.
The projects, if approved, would rope in an estimated $7 billion in gambling tax revenue between 2027 and 2036, according to the board. That doesn’t include $1.5 billion in one-time licensing fees that the three casino developers will need to pay, or the estimated $5.9 billion in state and local taxes.
“The sizable population within a two-hour drive will support sustained visitation supplemented by domestic and international travelers,” Board member Greg Reimers said Monday. “Each proposal presents a strong competitive positioning based on brand strength, amenities and facility design.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul also praised the move, which she said will mean good-paying jobs and investment in those communities, but warned that the casinos will need to benefit the communities hosting them.
“From the moment that three downstate casino licenses were authorized in the 2022 State Budget, I have been clear: any approved project must provide real benefits to its community and have sustainable economic plans,” Hochul said in a statement. “The three projects approved today promise to unlock billions in funding for the MTA and create tens of thousands of jobs. It is critical that they keep those promises.”
The projects include a casino on a Bronx property that’s currently home to a city-owned golf course, which Bally’s paid the Trump Organization $60 million to lease, according to the development agreement. If the casino plan is approved, the city would shell out another $115 million to Trump’s company.
In July, Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a move by the City Council to reject a land use application for the Bally’s project, citing the need for jobs and investment in the neighborhood.
In a statement, the company said the casino project would be “a once-in-a-generation transformation” for the Bronx, creating good-paying jobs and channeling investment into one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.
“Our team has worked closely with community leaders, union partners, and local stakeholders to build a project that delivers real jobs, lasting economic benefits, and a world-class entertainment destination for the Bronx,” Bally’s Bronx said in a statement. “We are grateful for the Board’s confidence and look forward to working with the Gaming Commission as the process moves to its next phase.”
New York State voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2013 allowing up to seven casinos in the state, with up to three reserved for the New York City region. The four existing upstate casinos were approved years ago
Critics of the plan had argued that New York doesn’t have the gambling base to host another three casinos, which they argue would cannibalize the state’s existing gaming market. New York’s four upstate casinos have repeatedly come up short of their projected revenues and tax contributions, according to data from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office.