A state commission has approved three mega-casino licenses, opening the door for glitzy new gambling destinations in parts of the city that have historically been off-limits.
Steve Cohen secured approval for an $8 billion project in land that is legally parkland, to bedeveloped in partnership with Hard Rock. The plan includes a casino, hotel, concert venue, and a seamless connection to the future NYCFC soccer stadium rising nearby.
If you were hoping for roulette wheels in Times Square, don’t. Manhattan is completely off the board. High-profile pitches for a Midtown casino and even a gaming floor perched atop Saks Fifth Avenue were ultimately scrapped. Instead, the new approvals will bring direct competition to Atlantic City, which has long relied on New Yorkers to fill its gaming floors.
The two other selected proposals include:
• Bally’s (Bronx) — A $4 billion plan to build a casino next to the company’s golf course, on land once tied to former President Donald Trump.
• Genting Group (Queens) — A $5.5 billion expansion of Resorts World at Aqueduct, transforming the long-running slots-only facility into a full casino with table games.
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THOUGHTS:
I am distraught and don’t have much to say I haven’t said before.
This is Parkland. We have parkland to a bllionaire.
Casinos tend not to help communities.
THIS is why you own a baseball team. Championships are for losers. Entertaining people in your skybox is for winners, and winners get casinos on public parkland.