The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board approved on Thursday a new bid deadline of June 27, 2025, for three downstate casinos. This decision comes despite a pending bill that proposes an earlier deadline of August 31, 2024, which is currently awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature.
New York law permits the establishment of three downstate casinos—brick-and-mortar facilities at commercial locations in and around New York City. Currently, 11 bidders are vying for the opportunity to develop casinos in areas ranging from Times Square to Brooklyn. These bidders are offering various incentives such as resorts, housing units, and neighborhood improvements to gain support.
Senator Joe Addabbo’s bill (S9673A), which passed both the House and Senate in early June, mandates that proposals be submitted by the end of the summer. However, Governor Hochul has yet to sign the bill. If approved, this legislation would set a tighter timeline for the submission of bids, a deadline that the Facility Location Board members believe is unrealistic.
At Thursday’s meeting, board members emphasized that bids cannot be reviewed until all “entitlements and zoning” approvals are in place. They consider the current August 2024 deadline to be unreasonable. Board Chair Vicki Been expressed hope that the board’s reasoning would be taken into account by the governor. She implied that while politicians may prefer a quicker deadline, such a timeline would be impractical.
Bidders are required to have zoning changes and environmental impact studies completed before their bids can be reviewed. In particular, the Bally’s Bronx proposal and Steve Cohen’s Queens proposal require rezoning from their current parkland designation to allow for casino development. Both bidders have been lobbying local and state boards for the necessary rezoning, but neither site has yet been re-designated.
Board member Stuart Rabinowitz noted that if Governor Hochul signs the bill, the new law would override the board’s decision. The current list of downstate casino proposals includes both commercial and tribal operators, including major names such as MGM, Wynn, Las Vegas Sands, among others.