Queens Borough President Donovan Richards predicted both planned casinos in the World’s Borough will get licenses when bidders face a make-or-break vote on Monday.
“I feel confident. I feel bullish. Bet on Queens,” Richards said Sunday, a day before the New York Gaming Facility Location board is set to decide whether to issue up to three downstate casino licenses — with two bidders pitching locations in Queens.
“Why go to Manhattan? You can stay in Queens! Queens becomes a global entertainment hub,” Richards said.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is leading a group that wants to build a gaming complex near Citi Field while Genting’s Resorts World is bidding for a casino at Aqueduct race track.
Bally’s is also bidding for a casino complex at Ferry Point, President Trump’s former golf course in The Bronx.
The proposed $8 billion Cohen-Hard Rock Metropolitan Park casino complex would be a tourist magnet and an economic multiplier next to the US Tennis Center, new soccer stadium and the Mets home stadium, Richards said.
He said Resorts World, which has operated a slots parlor for more than a decade, can offer live table games within months because they already have the space to do so. The expanded complex with community benefits is worth $7.5 billion.
Both bidders will build concert halls for added entertainment.
Both sites are close to the borough’s two airports — Metropolitan Park near LaGuardia and Resorts World near Kennedy.
Meanwhile, Bally’s $4 billion bid has strong support from the Bronx Democratic Party elected officials, though it has faced some stiff neighborhood opposition.
Bally’s chairman Soo Kim told The Post Saturday he believes his chances of scoring a license “looks pretty good.”
“We put our best effort out there,” he said. “I don’t think we have any weak spots.”
Bally’s acquired the golf course at Ferry Point from the Trump Organization in 2023, and it’s now called Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. It is on the Bronx side of the Whitestone Bridge that connects with Queens.
As part of the deal, Bally’s agreed to provide the Trump Organization an additional $115 million — if it wins a casino license.
The Gaming Facility Location Board is evaluating each project based on criteria set in state law. Economic activity and business development accounts for 70% of the grade, 10% for location site impact — and 20% combines for workforce enhancement and diversity framework.
Casino applicants each need to pay $500 million license fees to operate – which would go into the cash-strapped state’s coffers — as well commit to at least $500 million in capital investments on their projects.
Some of the proceeds from gaming operators will help fund mass transit.
A pool of what was once 11 bidders has dwindled to three – but there’s no guarantee each of the survivors will get licenses because the five-member board doesn’t have to award any.
But many Albany insiders said the immediate cash from the licenses will spur the state to award as many as 3.
The state Gaming Commission will have final say, ratifying or rejecting the awards made by the siting board by year’s end.
