New York committees have whittled down the running for the three commercial casino licences available in the Empire State from eight casino projects to just four.
The casino projects that have been approved by their respective Community Advisory Committees (CAC) and have made it to the next stage of the process include:
- Bally’s Bronx – Bally’s Corporation – Ferry Point, The Bronx.
- MGM Empire City – MGM Resorts International subsidiary, MGM Yonkers – Empire City Casino, Yonkers.
- Hard Rock Metropolitan Park – New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International – Willets Point, Queens.
- Resorts World New York City – Resorts World – Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens.
While the Resorts World and MGM projects would be developments on existing properties, the Hard Rock and Bally’s projects would see construction begin on new builds if they receive final approval.
The four projects that have progressed will now undergo evaluation by the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board to determine who will be put forward for a licence recommendation.
Each bidder must complete and return a scenario worksheet and submit additional revenue and financial information by 14 October 2025.
The Gaming Facility Location Board then has until 1 December to make its recommendations to the New York State Gaming Commission, which will have until 31 December to issue up to three Empire State commercial casino licences, ensuring that the state collects the casino license fee(s) ahead of schedule.
Projects that have not been approved by their respective CACs and will not be progressing include:
- The Coney – Thor Equities, Saratoga Casino Holdings, Legends Hospitality and Chickasaw Nation – Coney Island, Brooklyn.
- The Avenir – Rush Street Gaming, Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment and Silverstein Properties – 11th Avenue & 41st Street, Manhattan.
- Caesars Palace Times Square – Caesars Entertainment, SL Green, Roc Nation and Live Nation – Times Square, 1515 Broadway, Manhattan.
- Freedom Plaza – Mohegan and the Soloviev Group – 686 1st Avenue, Manhattan.
Each of the four rejected projects were voted down in their respective CACs by a 4-2 vote. Many of the casino projects received local opposition, including Broadway stakeholders opposing the Times Square casino due to its potential impact on shows in the area. None of the casino projects that were pitched for Manhattan made it through to the next stage.
