A blog devoted to tracking news related to Aqueduct.
At 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 28, the Resorts World New York City casino will open its doors in South Queens.
Visitors will be greeted with nearly 2,500 Video Lottery Terminals anda variety of international dining selections as well as a range of entertainment options.
Check it out and tell us what you think.
The RWNY casino will open in its first phase toward the end of October.
But in the mean time, members of the press got a sneak peek of what the first floor, which will house the Times Square Casino, will look like.
The entire facility will be open in December. Watch the video of the tour below:
Senator Joe Addabbo continues to push for full-fledged casinos in New York State after a recent poll from Siena College revealed that fifty-seven percent of New Yorkers support a constitutional amendment to allow non-Indian casinos to be build in New York while only 36 percent opposed the initiative.
Another poll issued by Quinnipac University also revealed that 56 percent of New Yorkers support full casino gaming, similar to that at Atlantic City and Las Vegas.
“Rather than see the money keep going to Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indian casinos upstate, in this stagnant economy, I believe we must start the process, including public input, for the expansion of VLT racinos into full casino gaming to increase our revenues,” Addabbo said in a statement.
The first of 4,525 Video Lottery Terminals were delivered to Resorts world Casino New York City this week, marking an exciting new phase of the casino’s development, casino executives announced.
The VLTs will be installed and individually tested on the gaming floor — the core of the casino action – during the next weeks. When phase one of Resorts World Casino New York City opens in October, it will boast 2,280 VLTs, entertainment and delectable dining. The second phase will open by the end of the year and will feature 2,245 additional VLTs as well as more dining options and unparalleled event space.
“This is an exciting development; we are on the path towards creating a world-class entertainment destination,” said Michael Speller, president of Resorts World Casino New York City. “The video lottery terminals, which are a cornerstone of our casino, have been in our mind’s eye for nearly a year, and we are happy that the public will soon share our vision. We are in the final stage and are thrilled that Resorts World Casino New York City will welcome its guests to an optimum experience.”
More information on Resorts World New York is available at www.rwnewyork.com.
Resorts World Casino NY is planning to hold a job fair at Aqueduct on Saturday, August 6t from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The fair will be open to all levels including frontline, supervisor and managerial staff members.
For more information, check out RWNY’s website.
If all goes well, the planned racino at Aqueduct might sooner or later become a casino.
For now, when it opens on Oct. 1, the Resorts World New York casino have only video lottery terminals (VLTs) for its patrons to play.
But Genting, the casino’s owner, wants to incorporate a Las Vegas-style casino with table games for the establishment’s gamblers. Genting has begun lobbying state officials to permit table games at its soon-to-be-opened Aqueduct casino facility. According to media reports, Genting is spending $1 million a year with lobbyists in Albany in this effort.
“We have table games in the surrounding three states (New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania),” Michael Speller, president of Resorts World New York, said during a State Senate Racing Committee hearing on February 7 of this year.
The committee is considering a proposal for a constitutional amendment to permit table games. Currently, state legislation only authorizes the Aqueduct casino to have VLTs, so a constitutional amendment would be required for the casino to have table games
Senator Addabbo and Assemblyman Mike Miller welcome the prospect of table games.
Maybe the third time will be a charm…
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will be the subject of yet another audit by the state comptroller’s office. This will be the third audit of the agency since 2008.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said he wants to take another look at NYRA’s books to determine whether it has appropriately followed his recommendations from two earlier audits that called for significant cost reductions, including salaries and consultant fees.
NYRA, according to its 2011 budget, expects to see an $11 million deficit this year after a $17 million operating deficit last year. NYRA has not posted a profit since 2000.
The agency is counting heavily on new gaming revenues from the Aqueduct casino to become profitable again. It is expected to receive at least $25 million annually for operating costs and capital improvement projects from thousand of video lottery terminals that will be installed.
The state Inspector General is also reviewing NYRA’s books.
Read more here.
When the new casino opens in South Ozone Park, patrons and nearby residents can be assured that their safety is being looked after.
Resorts World New York Casino patrons will have an additional layer of security as they come and go to the trains in the form of city transit officers.
Captain Roy Kaplan, commanding officer of Transit District 23, told members of the 106th Precinct Community Council at their meeting last week that once the casino opens he will be directing his resources to the local train stations and the surrounding area.
Kaplan said he would work hand in hand with 106th Precinct commanding officer Captain Thomas Pascale to coordinate security at the South Ozone Park casino.
Source: Leader-Observer – Transit officers will add to casino security
According to reports, Genting is thinking about installing a convention center near to the Aqueduct racetrack. Genting officials unveiled the plans before a state board and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. last month.
Addabbo said a convention center would likely be welcomed in Queens because of the revenue it would generate for the city and state.
Currently, the only convention center is the Jacob Javitz center in Manhattan.
With all the hype of a racino coming to South Ozone Park, residents have expressed concerns about safety at almost every community meeting.
In May, over 100 neighborhood residents attended Community Board 10’s monthly meeting to address the potential problems that the rush of visitors would bring the neighborhood.
They all asked Patrol Borough Queens South Assistant Chief James Secreto one question: how many police officers will be assigned to the area surrounding the soon-to-open Resorts World Casino in Ozone Park?
Even, Councilman Eric Ulrich requested more police presence at Aqueduct. He sent a letter to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly in June, stating that he believes “this request is warranted given the size and scope of the new venue and the necessary planning that will go into maintaining a good quality of life for area residents.”
At the time, Secreto assured the residents that he was working on the issue and trying to get more cops from the 106th Precinct around the racino. Last month, he told attendees of the 106th Precinct Community Council meeting that if One Police Plaza didn’t give him the additional police officers he has requested, he will provide them from the borough’s resources.
Not everyone is so sure that the area will receive a greater police presence before the racino opens. Howie Kamph, president of the Ozone Park Civic Association, told the Leader-Observer paper, “I hope they give it to us, but I think they’ll play the wait-and-see game.” He applauded Ulrich for making the effort to get more cops.
There is a projected 8.4 million people visiting the casino annually, there is set to be an average of 23,000 people who will be passing through the community
“One way or another we are going to have cops there,” Secreto said.
