A World Of Support: Resorts World’s Casino Bid Backed At Hearing

“True community partner … supporting small business like mine … building generational wealth … shows up for our community … generated critical resources to strengthen public services … “

Those were among the many plaudits and compliments Queens residents gave to Resorts World on Wednesday night during the Community Advisory Committee’s (CAC) first public hearing as the racino pursues a $500 million downstate New York casino license.

More than 40 residents, business owners, and local government leaders lined up at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens and provided unanimous support for Resorts World’s proposed $5.5 billion expansion plans on the 73-acre property where Aqueduct Raceway sits for an integrated casino resort destination.

Resorts World’s application is among eight submitted by the New York State Gaming Commission. Resorts World is considered a favorite to land one of the three licenses that could be awarded, and the application is one of two Queens-based proposals being considered along with Metropolitan Park, fronted by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock.

Touting the advantages of incumbency

Resorts World opened the public hearing by highlighting most of the key points of its July 21 presentation to the CAC at its initial meeting. It is the highest revenue-generating casino in the country outside of Las Vegas and has paid $4.5 billion in tax revenue to New York’s education fund.

Resorts World Strategy Chief & Legal Officer Kevin Jones repeated the pledge that the gaming space would open within six months of receiving a license. That would be approximately one year before any of the other seven applicants would begin taking wagers and also be a head start of roughly five years on most license-seekers.

“We have the fastest speed to market of anyone,” Jones boasted, “and we have the ability to open in six months of licensure by next summer. We’re talking about a head start of more than five years. … That’s five years of $500 million in annual state education payments, an incremental $1 billion going to the state in the first 12 months.

“And that’s another $1 billion to the MTA by the end of the first five years, benefiting anyone who has had to wait on a subway or a bus.”

Robert De Salvio, president of Genting Americas East, agreed with Resorts World’s projection of 10,000 jobs in total, split evenly between construction and casino with a six-figure median compensation package. The proposal also projects the creation of 14,000 indirect jobs.

Genting Americas is a resort operator with properties branded by Resorts World.

Backers, backers everywhere

A diaspora of local businesses, community outreach leaders, and residents all came together in sharing stories of Resorts World’s impact, showing the positive legacies of a decade-plus relationship between casino and community.

“We all know that community benefits agreements are only as valuable as the integrity of the organization making the promise,” said Greg Mays, founder and executive director of the community service organization A Better Jamaica. “There are a lot of promises made by organizations who are building the community, and then there are organizations who actually do what they suggest they are going to do in terms of benefiting the community — and that is absolutely, positively Resorts World.”

Local political backing came from Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, whose 22nd District includes Elmont and Western Nassau County. Solages’ district was not included as part of the CAC overseeing the application.

“Assemblywoman Solages recognizes that this process is about more than economic numbers,” said Armando Valera, speaking on Solages’ behalf. “It’s about how projects fit in the long-term vision of our neighborhoods. Resorts World New York City has been a regional anchor over 15 years.

“This expansion proposal could bring significant benefits to both Queens and Nassau County. More jobs for local residents, more revenue for our schools and transit, and new amenities for families. By Elmont and Valley Stream, it means direct employment opportunities, strong local business, and potential partnerships with nearby vendors, like UBS Arena and Belmont Park Retail Village, to create a bi-county destination that drives investment on both sides of county life.”

Mamdani weighs in (kind of)

Front-running New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who could inherit a Manhattan-based casino if elected with three proposals among the eight applicants, said he had no plans to turn a licensee away if The Avenir, Caesars Palace Times Square, or Freedom Plaza are selected.

“I’ve been open about my personal skepticism [about casinos], and yet I also know this is the law,” Mamdani said, according to The New York Times on Wednesday. “The siting and the choices of which casinos will open, that pertains to the state.”

The CACs must vote by Sept. 30 to forward the application to the New York State Gaming Commission, and a two-thirds majority of the six-person committee is required.