MGM Empire City, Resorts World, and Hard Rock Will Likely Win New York Licenses
Presumably, the competition for the coveted downstate New York casino licenses is ended. Todd Shriber of Casino.org and I have been forecasting which bids will win for months, so we are not surprised by the three likely winners.
The Community Advisory Committees (CAC) for Freedom Plaza in Midtown East, The Avenir in Hell's Kitchen, and Caesars Palace Times Square all just voted 4-2 against approving the multibillion-dollar developments. Only bids that receive a three-fifths majority from their designated CAC will be taken into consideration by the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which has until December 1st to award the three sought-after downstate gaming concessions.
Only four of the five remaining candidates are anticipated to receive CAC support. These are Metropolitan Park in Willets Point in Queens, Resorts World New York City at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, and MGM Empire City in Yonkers, Westchester County. Bally's Bronx, a fourth casino bid, is also probably going to receive a CAC recommendation. However, there are other issues with the Bally's concept.
Throughout the process, Empire City and Resorts World have been regarded as the leading downstate casinos. It has long been believed by analysts and professionals in the gaming industry that MGM Resorts and Malaysia-based Genting would receive a license to operate slots, live-dealer table games, and retail sports betting in return for their long-standing investments and community commitments in the area.
DOA for Coney Island
Thor Equities, Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation's Global Gaming Solutions, and Legends collaborated on The Coney. The bid, which aims to transform the Brooklyn beach village into a year-round destination and an economic upsurge through new employment, taxes, and local investments, has encountered strong opposition from the locals.
The $3 billion casino has been officially opposed by Brooklyn Community Board 13, which solely advises the City Council. Even though the Coney CAC vote isn't scheduled until September 29, at least three committee members have already stated that they will vote "nay."
The opposition includes Justin Brannon, the chair of the Coney CAC and a member of the city council who represents the Brooklyn area.
"Coney Island must remain the People’s Playground. A place where hard work, grit, and fun in the sun for everyday New Yorkers always comes before profit. For that reason, I will not support the Coney Island casino,” Brannan said.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a state senator from Kings and Richmond counties, will likewise vote against it.
“Since the New York State Gaming Commission’s casino licensing process began and The Coney’s application was presented, I was clear that I would allow this process to play out, but would ultimately vote in the direction of what the majority of the community that I represent wants, needs, and deserves. After taking part in two public hearings with my constituents about their thoughts, perspectives, and concerns regarding this application, I have decided to vote in opposition,” she said.
The Coney proposal, according to Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, was "deeply unimpressive and unresponsive to the needs, desires, and rich history of the Coney Island community."
Metropolitan Park
The casino plan from Hard Rock and Steve Cohen at the billionaire's Citi Field, where his MLB New York Mets play, has consistently been seen as a compelling proposal. Only after Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts abandoned their NYC projects and the CAC voted against Caesars, The Avenir, and Freedom Plaza did its chances improve.
State Senator Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) will provide at least one "nay" vote for the Metropolitan Park CAC. However, New York City Councilmember Francisco Moya, Assemblymember Larinda Hooks (D-Queens), and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards all openly back the casino.
The Hard Rock/Cohen project would only forward to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board with a fourth support, either from NYC Mayor Eric Adams or appointees of Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul and Adams designees have supported all three of the projects that were rejected, and they are anticipated to vote "yes" for the remaining applications.
Long Odds for Bally's Bronx
The plan by Bally's Corp. to construct an integrated resort casino near the Ferry Point Golf Links, which the firm oversees on behalf of the city, has also encountered strong opposition from the Bronx neighborhood. In July, the New York City Council rejected a land-use zoning modification that would have let the commercial gambling enterprise to operate on city parks, while the Bronx Community Board 10 voted against the Bally's Bronx plan.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D), a very unpopular politician whose detractors claim he vetoed the council's resolution just to win over the Trump administration, salvaged the Bally's Bronx proposal on his own. According to Adams, the Bronx should only be regarded similarly to the other boroughs.
When Trump sold Bally's the golf course lease in 2023, he stipulated that the Trump Organization would get $115 million if Bally's was granted a downstate New York gaming license.
Bally's Bronx will most likely receive a "nay" vote from New York City Councilmember Kristy Marmorato (R-Northeast Bronx). However, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (D-Throggs Neck), Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and Senator Nathalia Fernandez (D-Bronx) have all expressed support for the Bally's proposal.
Adams and Hochul both have a vote, therefore it is likely that Bally's Bronx will receive four "yes" votes. However, it is anticipated that the Gaming Facility Location Board would approve the Hard Rock plan due to the New City Council's reluctance to permitting the casino to operate on parkland owned by the city and several worries about Bally's faltering corporate finances and its capacity to obtain financing.
