Yonkers and Jamaica casino proposals advance

After several high-profile New York City casino proposals were rejected this month, two bids, in Queens and Yonkers, have advanced in the approval process. On Thursday, Resorts World NYC in Jamaica and MGM Empire City in Yonkers won unanimous approval from community advisory committees, sending the proposals to the state board. Both bids aim to convert existing gaming facilities into full-scale casinos, unlike other remaining plans, such as those in the Bronx and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which include entirely new developments.

Proposed by its parent company Genting, Resorts World NYC would transform the only operating casino in the five boroughs into a full-scale gaming facility. If approved, the facility would undergo a $5 billion revamp, adding 6,000 Las Vegas–style slot machines, 800 gaming tables, 2,000 hotel rooms, 7,000 parking spaces, and public green space, according to The City.

Located at the Aqueduct Racetrack, the 5.6 million–square-foot proposal, backed by legendary NYC rapper Nas, would also include a 7,000-seat concert venue and an “innovation campus” featuring a sports academy for high school athletes, run by Queens native and former professional basketball player and sports commentator Kenny “The Jet” Smith.

“On behalf of the entire Resorts World team, I want to thank the Community Advisory Committee for recognizing the impact we will have not only on Queens but all of New York City and State,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in a statement following the CAC vote.

“We are incredibly grateful to the large number of residents, partners, and supporters who touted this project, without a single person speaking against it. This is a testament to our mission – solidified over the last 15 years – to be the best neighbor possible here in Queens.”

The proposal has outlasted another high-profile bid also backed by a NYC rapper—Caesars Palace Times Square, developed by SL Green and supported by Brooklyn native Jay-Z, whose agency Roc Nation would have managed site-wide programming. That bid was rejected last week, along with Silverstein Properties’ $7 billion complex in Hell’s Kitchen and Soloviev Group’s Freedom Plaza proposal next to the United Nations.

During Thursday’s committee meeting, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards celebrated the approval while joking about Nas’s infamous rap beef with Jay-Z. “There’s a theme in Queens, and I know Nas is a part of it. Queens gets the money! Sorry Jay-Z. We win again. I just had to rub it in,” Richards said, according to the New York Post.

Following the meeting, Richards posted on X, touting the proposal’s benefits and saying it levels the “cultural playing field,” bringing prosperity to southeast Queens.

“From creating 10,000+ direct union jobs to a 7,000-seat arena to 12 acres of public open space and more, this project represents a leveling of the city’s cultural playing field and a pathway to prosperity for our neighbors,” he said. “Yeah, that’s a win for Queens.”

MGM Empire City in Yonkers is seeking a casino license to fully renovate and expand its facility, including a high-limit lounge and a state-of-the-art BetMGM Sportsbook for retail sports betting, as 6sqft previously reported. The $2.3 billion, 863,500-square-foot proposal is the smallest of the casino bids currently under consideration.

The bid also envisions a 5,000-capacity entertainment venue with adjacent meeting space, designed to host A-list talent and local performers, while remaining flexible for special events such as graduations and other community gatherings.

The complex would add three new full-service restaurants and renovate existing food and beverage vendors, all offering high-concept dining options. A new parking garage with solar panels and electric-vehicle spaces would highlight MGM’s commitment to sustainability.

It would also add roughly 2,000 permanent jobs, offer funding for flood prevention and police resources, and give 80 percent of its tax revenue to the New York State Education Fund, according to The City.

If approved, MGM Empire City aims to begin gaming operations in 2027, with all amenities completed by the end of 2029. The Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino has operated as a horse-racing facility since 1899, including the sixth-largest gaming floor in the nation.

In a statement, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins applauded the CAC’s unanimous vote in favor of the MGM Empire City bid.

“A full casino license will bring thousands of good-paying permanent jobs, attract new investments, generate significant tax revenue and create greater opportunities for the people of Westchester,” Jenkins said. “I am excited that we are now one step closer to seeing MGM Empire City realize its full potential.”

He added: “At the same time, we remain committed to monitoring the quality of life for residents in the neighborhoods surrounding Empire City. Increased development must deliver positive change for the community, and that will continue to be our priority.”

Only three other proposals for a downstate gaming license remain: New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $8 billion “Metropolitan Park” next to Citi Field, “The Coney” in Coney Island, and the controversial Bally’s Bronx casino in Ferry Point Park.

In July, the City Council rejected a critical rezoning for Bally’s casino proposal, voting 29-9 with four abstentions to deny the land-use changes needed to build the gaming facility on the former Trump-owned golf course. Mayor Adams later vetoed the Council’s decision, and the body is now set to consider overriding his veto.

The Coney Island proposal also faces increasing odds of rejection following strong pushback from local residents and elected officials. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, both members of the proposal’s community advisory committee, have announced plans to veto the bid, according to Brooklyn Magazine.

The final CAC votes will be held on Monday, September 29, at 10 a.m. for Bally’s and 3 p.m. for The Coney, and on Tuesday, September 30, at 11 a.m. for Metropolitan Park.

The advancing casino bids will be voted on in December by the Gaming Facility Location Board and then the Gaming Commission.

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