By Assembly Member Gary Pretlow
We in the State Legislature made a promise to New Yorkers two years ago that the approval process for downstate casinos would be an efficient one. Now, however, we are instead far behind where we committed to be in giving the green light to three properties. Instead of generating new revenue without lifting taxes on middle-class families, we have been repeatedly told “wait ‘til next year.”
Those of us sworn to deliver for the people of New York are not waiting. That’s why Sen. Joseph Addabbo and I introduced a bill this week to get this process back on track. More than ever, we need checks and balances to ensure we don’t let perfection be the enemy of a generational opportunity for the Empire State. Our commitment is to see these guardrails enacted before we conclude the people’s business this June.
We must get this done because New Yorkers are counting on much more than blackjack or roulette tables. Black and Brown families are leaving the downstate region in droves because few career opportunities exist. School administrators barely scrape by on shoestring budgets. Commuters inch forward on long commutes marred by aging infrastructure.
Expanded downstate gaming will return New York to its mantle as the greatest state in the union. I’ve said right here in the Yonkers Times that the revenue created by these casinos will be a game changer for our communities. Consider the fact that each license comes at an upfront cost of $500 million a piece, or a minimum of $1.5 billion total. We aren’t talking about a drop in the bucket — it’s a major shot in the arm for a state staring down a $9.5 billion gap next fiscal year.
What’s as important is the consistent revenue this will create every single year. Genting already pledged to add $1 billion in new, incremental revenue on top of the average $700 million in taxes Resorts World New York City already pays. MGM here in Yonkers has been just as reliable operating its facility, and can expect the same level of commitment from them or anyone else entrusted to run a casino.
But first we need to actually start flipping cards. New York State committed to speeding up the process as part of the budget two years ago. The intent was for bidding to start in 2023, but the goal posts continue to move. The Gaming Commission’s announcement this spring to push back license awards until the end of 2025. That means the tens of thousands of constructionand permanent jobs promised by every bidder will not materialize for another two years — at best. Other communities might not see those jobs until the end of the decade, at which point one has to wonder who will even still be there to fill them.
Our bill will get us back on course with a few simple stopgaps in the process. First, New York State would set July as the deadline to submit bids. Then, decision makers would have to commence the community advisory committee process for bids it deems sufficient, which would thus ensure we don’t delay what should be a thorough, thoughtful process. New York would then have to make decisions by March 2025, giving any winner two years to resolve any land use issues.
These metrics keep us on target, level the playing field for all bidders of the three licenses, and ensure New Yorkers feel the benefit of the revenue this decade. While we may be in the final weeks of this legislative session, we should strive to pass this bill and live up to the commitments many of us made years ago.
Pretlow serves as the Chairman of the Asse
