NEW YORK – State officials are expected to announce on Monday the fate of three casino bids that could bring full-scale gambling to New York City.
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board will meet at 10 a.m. to share recommendations on the final three proposals still in contention after a competitive bidding process. The remaining bids include Bally’s in the Bronx, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Queens, and Resorts World New York City, also in Queens.
Bids that receive the board’s endorsement will move on to the state Gaming Commission by the end of December for final approval.
Efforts to establish full-fledged casino resorts in New York City have been underway for years. Voters authorized up to seven casinos with live table games in a 2013 referendum, though upstate venues were given priority initially. Local opposition has affected many proposals along the way.
Since the referendum, four full casinos have opened in New York, all upstate, alongside nine gambling halls offering only electronic machines. Nearby competition includes Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut, Atlantic City casinos in New Jersey, and Wind Creek Casino in Pennsylvania.
Despite the regional competition, experts say New York City’s dense market could support three casino resorts, depending on location. John Holden, a business professor specializing in gambling law at Indiana University, notes that while revenue projections from the industry are optimistic, New York City’s market is “really without comparison.”