Deputy Editor
Two more New York City casino bids have advanced through community advisory council (CAC) votes, putting them in a possible position to nab highly coveted downstate casino licenses.
Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Hard Rock Metropolitan Park proposal gained approval via a unanimous 6-0 vote. PokerScout had previously reported that Cohen’s bid was among the favorites following the failure of every Manhattan bid.
“When I bought this team, fans and the community kept saying we needed to do better,” said Cohen, one of the wealthiest owners in sports. “Metropolitan Park delivers on the promise of a shared space that people will not only want to come to and enjoy, but can be truly proud of.”
The Metropolitan Park plan would put a casino complex featuring a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino next to the Mets’ Citi Field. It also features a live music venue and a block of bars and restaurants in what’s currently 50 acres of parking lots in Queens.
The other bid to get through was Bally’s Bronx. That proposal received a 5-1 vote in favor. The proposed Bally’s casino would be built on a golf course once owned by the Trump Organization.
Meanwhile, another bid failed to gain CAC approval. A proposal for a casino in Coney Island died in a 4-2 vote.
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Metropolitan Park, Bally’s Bronx Likely Fighting Over Last License
Bally’s Bronx and Hard Rock Metropolitan Park now advance to the state’s gaming board for consideration. If either or both win a license, they will get to build casino resorts in one of the most coveted metro areas in the country for developers. The board will award up to three licenses.
However, the two bids are most likely competing for a single license. Resorts World NYC and Empire City MGM Yonkers are both in the running as well. Those bids have an edge on the others because they both have retail slot parlors up and running. Hence, developers won’t need to send local areas into complete upheaval with a new build. They only need to add to existing properties.
The Resorts World NYC property represents an especially exciting opportunity for poker players. Located in Queens as well, mere blocks from JFK International Airport, Resorts World plans to add poker if it wins a license.
The casino bids that passed through CAC votes will learn their fates this December.
