New York Commission Officially Licenses Three Downstate Casinos

Three New York casinos were confirmed for upcoming launches, bringing an end to a multi-year process. 

The New York State Gaming Commission voted Monday afternoon to approve three New York City casinos: Metropolitan Park, Bally’s Bronx, and Resorts World NYC. The vote confirms  a decision reached by the Gaming Facility Location Board earlier this month. 

15- and 20-year licenses were awarded to the three properties, the earliest of which will open next year.

Three NY casinos approved

The Dec. 15 vote confirmed the decision from the Location Board, which was in charge of conducting a final review on license candidates approved by local Community Advisory Committees (CAC).

The intent was for the Board to whittle down a pool of legitimate candidates to just three, the maximum number of available licenses. However, the CACs only advanced four casino bidders to the Board, and one, MGM Empire City, withdrew from the process.

That left the three projects, sponsored by Bally’s, Genting Group, and Hard Rock, in the running. The Board found all three suitable for approval, a sentiment that was also upheld by the state Commission.

“We will hear from you regularly,” Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer said to the casino groups. “We will ask the monitor to report on a quarterly basis to us as to how you have complied with the many wonderful promises that you have made to our communities over the next five years.”

Part of greenlighting the projects also required that each sign a third-party integrity monitoring agreement, designed to ensure that the projects meet the standards laid out by the state. That includes internal operations, cooperating with general regulations, and meeting community standards.

It’s finally over

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced her intent to bring three downstate casinos to New York a few years ago. Each one, which carries a licensing fee of at least $500 million, is expected to generate hundreds of millions, and eventually, billions, in tax revenue.

“Each of the projects made significant commitments to their communities and to New York State, and the Gaming Commission was clear that they will hold these projects accountable and make sure they keep their promises,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement.

Metropolitan Park, an $8.1 billion plan by Steve Cohen and the only recipient of a 20-year license, will erect a gaming complex next to the New York Mets’ Citi Field. 

“Since the day I bought the team, the community and Mets fans have made it clear to me that we can and should do better with the area around the ballpark,” Cohen said in a statement. “Now, we are going to be able to deliver the sports and entertainment district that our fans have been asking for.”

Resorts World at Aqueduct Racetrack, which is expected to launch in early 2026, will also service customers in the greater area of Queens. 

“From the first blueprints to the final vote, the pocket aces that are Metropolitan Park and Resorts World have both embodied what it means to be community-centered, with each offering unparalleled neighborhood benefits packages that will strengthen our physical and societal infrastructure,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a statement.

Bally’s Bronx will be built at the Ferry Point site, the former home of President Donald Trump’s golf course. It and Metropolitan Park are expected to open by 2030.