As the push to expand retail casinos in The Empire State continues, many of the top real estate developers and some of the biggest names in casinos are stepping up their efforts to procure a license. As of today, New York has only five licenses for retail casinos available for the 2025 year. With sanctioned casinos booming in recent years in the Empire State, top brass names like Wynn Resorts and MGM are doubling their efforts to convenience the NY committees and, ultimately, the public about greenlighting their casino projects.
While the revival of Manhattan is on its way, it’s clear that the NY legislature wants to put more emphasis on new casinos downstate and outside of the NY metro. To answer the bell, MGM has recently revealed plans to overhaul their Yonkers casino. Committing to over $2 billion, MGM Casino Resorts wants to expand the current Empire Casino to feature more skyscrapers, additional casino pit floors, and a state-of-the-art entertainment venue on the premises that can house at least 5,000.
If you think the MGM Resorts proposal is bold, it pales in comparison to the Seminole Tribe and Hard Rock Cafe’s proposal. They are proposing an $8 billion casino project in Queens to revitalize the Citi Field parking lot to feature deluxe entertainment venues over the 50 acres.
However, as these major casino companies tout economic revitalization and massive job creation, not everyone approves of these mega-billion-dollar casino projects. For example, many Manhattan residents are fiercely pushing back against the Hudson Park casino project. As part of the deal, Related Companies, the backer of the casino project, promised more than 5,000 affordable living arrangements around the complex.
However, in recent days, Related has switched its emphasis to building a new casino on the abandoned Western Railroad grounds in tandem with Wynn Resorts. This is sparking outrage among the initial public supporters who were counting on the housing arrangements on the Hudson Parks ground and in the original quantity promised.
One thing is for sure: new retail casinos are coming to The Empire State. As the final decisions on awarding licenses loom, the talks to legalize NY online casinos also continue to grow. For the past several years, Senator Joe Addabbo has put forth legislation to sanction iGaming in New York.
Last summer, a special session was almost called to pass emergency legislation to approve New York iGaming to make up for the revenue from the delayed New York City consumption tax. With sports betting already legal and thriving, these steps seem to be inevitable sooner rather than later.
