The New York Gaming Commission has voted to unanimously approve the first three members of the Gaming Facility Location Board which will set the ball rolling on the allocation of the three remaining downstate New York casino licenses.
The first three members of what will be a five-member board are:
- New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce CEO Quenia Abreu
- New York University Law Professor Vicki Been
- Former Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz
The board will be responsible for analyzing and vetting casino license proposals and recommending the most favorable three to go forward to the commission.
The commission has yet to reveal details of the remaining two members.
Speaking of the new casino licenses, Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer said:
“With capital investment, direct and construction employment, and the driving of incremental tax revenues, these projects will offer the possibility of tangible change to their host locations,”
Licenses are set to cost at least $500 million with the board accepting proposals from any interested party over a period of 90 days. Empire City Casino is expected to be one of the favorites for a license with Resorts World also considered a preferred choice.
A spokesperson for Empire City Casino said in a statement:
“We’re excited about the opportunity to respond to the anticipated Request for Applications (RFA) for the remaining commercial casino licenses and intend to submit a compelling application to secure one of those available licenses for Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. With 97 acres and already boasting one of the largest gaming floors in the country, a commercial license will allow us to develop Empire City to its full potential, generating thousands of quality jobs and meaningful private economic investment for Westchester and the region. We are ready to roar!”
Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer pointed out that every applicant will be viewed as a potential license holder with no outright favorites at this point.
“There is no preconceived way…that anybody is going into this process as either the favorite or not the favorite.”
The location board will begin accepting Request for Applications (RFA) in early 2023.
Reporter & gambling industry analyst covering the land-based and online casino industry in the United States.
