NEW YORK | Casino Development| FT| FLOORS

[NYguy]

https://www.playny.com/lawsuit-heari...nassau-county/

Sands NY Casino Still Has Life After Emergency Stay – At Least For A Few More Days


Written By Grant Lucas
November 17, 2023

It seems hope still remains for Las Vegas Sands to build a New York casino resort on Long Island.

A day after one judge invalidated Sands’ 99-year lease with Nassau County, citing violations of the state’s Open Meetings Law and and the State Environmental Quality Review Act, an appellate judge granted a stay of the lease originally agreed upon.

In essence, the deal is back on – at least until a decision is made on an appeal filed by Nassau County. A hearing is set for Nov. 21.

Supreme Court Justice Sarika Kapoor ruled last week that Nassau County officials did not provide proper notice for public meetings regarding the land-lease agreement with Sands. In addition, Kapoor agreed with Hofstra University that county officials did not conduct a proper environmental review.

As a result, Kapoor invalidated the 99-year deal, throwing a wrench into the plans for a 396,726-square-foot Sands casino resort, which looks at its Nassau Hub project as “an extraordinary opportunity” for the company – especially considering securing one of the three downstate licenses would likely open the door to receiving a New York online casino license once lawmakers legalize the industry.

A day later, however, Lourdes M. Ventura overturned that ruling, granting a stay of the invalidation.

In a statement, Bruce Blakeman, county executive for Nassau County, emphasized that “The Hub” – a sprawling stretch of land that features Nassau Coliseum – “has been languishing in a twilight zone of inaction.

In April, Blakeman announced Nassau County’s 99-year lease agreement with Sands. The county-owned land would go to Sands for $54 million regardless of whether the company receives a downstate casino license.

Reports, however, indicated that the amount owed by Sands – to the county, to the police department, to surrounding municipalities – could get cut almost in half if Sands does not receive a license.

Like Sands, Blakeman holds an optimistic outlook, projected that the casino resort could generate over $100 million in annual revenue for county municipalities and schools.

“We are going to develop the Coliseum site into a world-class hotel, a world-class entertainment center, and that is going to be funded by a casino,” Blakeman said. “And we believe that that will bring jobs, economic prosperity, tax relief, and improved safety here in Nassau County.”

[NYguy]

https://www.casino.org/news/sands-fa...w-york-casino/

Sands Could Face Protracted Legal Battle in Bid for New York Casino

November 20, 2023
Todd Shriber

Las Vegas Sands could be in for a prolonged legal tussle as part of its plans to bring a $4 billion casino hotel at the site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.

Earlier this month, the appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court put a hold on a state Supreme Court decision that voided the county’s transfer of the Coliseum to the gaming company, but that could still represent the early innings in what could be a lengthy legal rift between the country and Hofstra University.

Hofstra, which is the plaintiff in the case, argued that Nassau County officials violated New York’s Open Meetings Law and skirted environmental studies in an effort to expedite the lease transfer to Sands. Since the start of 2023, the casino operator has paid $241 million to the former leaseholder, Nassau Live Center LLC, and $54 million to the county as the lease accord requires.

Legal wranglings are slated to resume Tuesday, but that could still throw a wrench in Sands’ New York plans. Yvonne Hennessey, chair of the New York Bar Association’s environmental law section, told Candace Ferrette of Newsday that even basic environmental cases are taking years to move forward in the state.

Should Hofstra emerge victorious, Sands would likely have to throw in the towel on its Nassau County plans and find another potential casino site in the New York City area or abandon plans in the region.

https://www.playny.com/bronx-city-co...lys-ny-casino/

Election Of New City Councilmember Could Derail Bally’s NY Casino Plans


By Grant Lucas
November 20, 2023

.....Earlier this year, Bally’s targeted Trump Golf Links in Ferry Point as the site of a potential downstate casino.

Already with Bally Bet NY in the NY sports betting space, Bally’s understandably looked for a brick-and-mortar casino complement.

And if things go well, should lawmakers legalize online casinos in NY, Bally’s would most assuredly have an inside track for licensing.

With Marmorato, however, Bally’s now faces a major obstacle. Especially considering that the downstate licensing process requires local support, including majority approval from a six-member panel that features a representative from the area City Council.

Velázquez had indicated previously that she looked “favorably” at the bid, especially after Bally’s introduced a free bus service in the area. Marmorato, on the other hand, is not as smitten.

“I’m opposed to the casino,” Marmorato, who campaigned on a platform centering around local control, said in an interview with the New York Daily News.

“We have the highest rates of asthma in the city, and this is going to be an environmental nightmare.”

Bally’s has work to do if it wants a casino license
Marmorato is not alone in her stance.

Matt Cruz, the district manager for the local community board, told the New York Daily News that many residents do not support a Bally’s casino.

In fact, he indicated, by Velázquez backing the project, it likely contributed to her demise in the election.

“Judging by Tuesday night’s outcome, I’m not sure they’re excited to present to us at this point,” Cruz said.

“The mood at this point for the casino is not positive.”

Bally’s reportedly paid $60 million to take over the golf course, now known as Bally Golf Links. If the company is even able to develop a casino on the site remains to be seen.

[Busy Bee]

It's a stupid site for a casino. What that has to do with asthma rates I have no idea. Is he seriously suggesting the increase in traffic over the overwhelming amount of emissions particulate that already exist is somehow going to even be noticeable?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

It's a stupid site for a casino. What that has to do with asthma rates I have no idea. Is he seriously suggesting the increase in traffic over the overwhelming amount of emissions particulate that already exist is somehow going to even be noticeable?

It’s the kitchen sink defense. Say anything unfavorable about it because you don’t want it. Every proposal has its own NIMBY faction, with their own ridiculous reasons. Top spot on the ridiculous scale goes to some Coney Island NIMBYs, whose big concern is that the casinos will pay employees too much.

But there are 3 full fledged casinos coming. Somebody is going to be unhappy, but most will be pleased.

[NYguy]

The City gears up for the zoning amendments that will allow casinos within city limits.

[NYguy]

https://commercialobserver.com/2023/...er-to-develop/

City Proposes Zoning Changes to Make Casinos Easier to Develop


BY MARK HALLUM
NOVEMBER 27, 2023

The New York City Planning Commission is beginning a seven-month process for a zoning text amendment that will help clear the table for casinos in the five boroughs.

Under the city agency’s proposal — which will need to be passed through community boards, borough presidents’ offices and adopted by the Planning Commission itself before the New York City Council can vote yay or nay — gambling dens would be allowed as of right only in several commercial and manufacturing districts across the city.

Dan Garodnick, CPC chair and director of the Department of City Planning (DCP), said in a statement. “This text amendment would avoid duplicating the state’s rigorous licensing process, which includes local representation on the [Community Advisory Committee], while setting up a rational framework for consideration within our zoning.”

If passed, potential casinos in those zoning districts — which cover wide swaths in every borough — would need approval from only the state and its Community Advisory Committee to move forward with the project, avoiding the long Uniform Land Use Review Procedure for each application, according to the city.

[NYguy]

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/politi...no-limits-size

Casinos could open in wide swath of New York under city’s proposed zoning changes


November 27, 2023
NICK GARBER

Casinos would be permitted in wide swaths of New York City under a set of zoning changes released by Mayor Eric Adams’ administration last week, designed to fit into the state-led process that will choose as many as three new gambling sites to open in and around the five boroughs.

Under the proposal, casinos would be barred in residential areas but allowed in any medium- to high-density commercial district in the city, as well as in manufacturing zones. The plan puts no restrictions on casinos’ size, and allows developers to tack on “related” facilities such as hotels and restaurants.

The full casino zoning plan, released quietly just after Thanksgiving on Friday, is fairly bare-bones, with few restrictions on the future casinos besides barring them from residential areas. The Adams administration says that simplicity is meant to avoid subjecting casino bidders to a redundant layer of bureaucracy, since they will already have to go through the state’s monthslong review that includes binding votes by six-person councils composed of local officials.

But compared to the granular level of scrutiny that city lawmakers often apply to new developments — of everything from buildings’ height to their number of parking spaces — the blanket permission provided by the city’s proposal is striking, said George Janes, an urban planner who consults with several community boards.

"They're ceding all of the planning power that the city has in terms of locating these things, what they're going to look like,” Janes said. "I'm shocked that they're just ceding everything, even the urban design components of this, to some other body."

Gail Benjamin, a member of the City Planning Commission, criticized the proposed zoning changes during a public hearing on Monday. Benjamin argued that open-ended language could allow developers to sneak in certain types of buildings under the guise of a casino — such as hotels, which are otherwise heavily restricted in the city.

"The hotel could be any size if there's nothing that says the people who are staying in the hotel have to be gaming at the casino," she said. "We are allowing things that would not be permitted, without any City Planning review, oversight, determination."

None of the nine known contenders for a casino license within the city would be imperiled by the new zoning plan — proposals such as SL Green’s in Times Square and Silverstein Properties’ near the Javits Center are on blocks where casinos would be allowed under the proposal. But a handful of bidders will need to overcome their own specific hurdles: for example, Steve Cohen’s in Queens and the Bally’s proposal in the Bronx would both require lawmakers to permit building on parkland.

Without the citywide zoning change, all nine casino proposals would have needed to undergo their own monthslong reviews by city officials before even being considered by the state. Some observers had expected city lawmakers to try to preserve that ULURP process, which, while cumbersome, would have given them leverage to essentially veto any project.

[NYguy]

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...302001400.html

MGM RESORTS UNVEILS VISION FOR MGM EMPIRE CITY

Nov 30, 2023

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) today unveiled its vision to transition Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts into a world-class entertainment destination, MGM Empire City, if awarded a commercial casino license for its historic Yonkers, New York site. Key elements of the phase one design include a comprehensive casino floor redevelopment and expansion, 5,000-capacity entertainment venue, state-of-the-art BetMGM sportsbook, food and beverage outlets by celebrated chefs, cocktail bars and lounges, technologically advanced meeting spaces and more.

MGM Empire City's plans feature a complete property redevelopment shifting from a video lottery terminal racino into a full-scale commercial casino with live-dealer table games, the newest slot machines and a high-limit gaming area for the most discerning casino guests. The design includes the addition of several new destination dining experiences, including a modern steakhouse, a casual quick-serve Italian American experience and an authentic Asian noodle bar and eatery. Existing venues Big Kitchen food court and The Pub sports bar will also transform into new, high-end food concepts. The plan also includes development of a new parking garage to significantly enhance the guest arrival experience while also providing visitors with direct and convenient access to the casino and its amenities.

The entertainment venue will be the first-of-its-kind in the region, hosting A-list performers and events in a spectacular 5,000-capacity setting with unrivaled views, cutting-edge acoustics and dedicated amenities. MGM Resorts is renowned for its entertainment offerings as the third-largest ticket seller for live performances in the United States and the capacity to seat more than 100,000 people a night across entertainment venues around the world. MGM Empire City's entertainment venue will boost the region's economy, attracting new events to the market and bringing together locals and tourists alike.

A commercial casino license will also enable MGM Empire City to introduce The BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge, offering guests lively game day experiences with a 112-foot wrap-around LED screen, stadium seating, VIP areas, multiple betting kiosks and food and beverage operations.

"MGM Resorts has a long and proud history of delivering world-class entertainment and gaming experiences, and we couldn't be more excited to build on that track record at MGM Empire City," said Bill Hornbuckle, President and Chief Executive Officer, MGM Resorts. "A full-scale casino and entertainment destination will provide unparalleled experiences, create thousands of jobs, boost the state's economy, and be a game-changer for the entire region."

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said, "This is a momentous opportunity for the City of Yonkers, and I'm excited for the future, knowing the development of MGM Empire City will create thousands of good-paying union jobs and the economic growth that will ensure our city continues to flourish and prosper. Already drawing millions of guests annually, this development plan will solidify Empire City's status as a premier entertainment destination. Generations of Yonkers residents have worked at, enjoyed, and supported this historic property for 125 years, and I am excited about the significant impacts this project will have for residents now and for the next 125 years."

Ed Domingo, General Manager of Empire City Casino, said, "When MGM Resorts acquired Empire City Casino in 2019, we knew we were becoming stewards of a historic institution that has served generations of New Yorkers as a gathering place for entertainment, a source of jobs for the community, and a driver of economic development. As MGM Resorts prepares to enter its sixth year at the helm of this iconic property, we are excited to be able to combine the knowledge we have developed of the New York market with our expertise as a global entertainment brand, to bring the next chapter of New York's entertainment landscape to the incredible community we are part of."

[NYguy]

MGM Empire City

[NYguy]

• Video Link

[NYguy]

A little more info on 1515 Broadway, and SL Green's licensing process...

[NYguy]

[TonyNYC]

Did I miss something here with Manhattan proposals.. Hotel Penn Site - Vornado/Rush Street??

That's a really interesting location/option!!

[RobEss]

I can't think of a more depressing way to spend an hour of your life than in a casino, an enterprise whose sole purpose is to take your money while offering absolutely nothing in return, often using the addictive nature of their business to manipulate and exploit low-income individuals...

[Busy Bee]

It's an immutable human vice for which there will inexplicably always be a demand.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by TonyNYC

Did I miss something here with Manhattan proposals.. Hotel Penn Site - Vornado/Rush Street??

That's a really interesting location/option!!

Vornado has already backed off on that. The more current proposals are listed in the city’s documents.

Originally Posted by RobEss

I can't think of a more depressing way to spend an hour of your life than in a casino, an enterprise whose sole purpose is to take your money while offering absolutely nothing in return, often using the addictive nature of their business to manipulate and exploit low-income individuals...

Yet millions enjoy it. As the saying goes, not everything is for everybody. But of course, these casinos will offer up more than just gambling, with multiple entertainment and dining options. Even staying at one of the hotels could becsern as an attraction.

[NYguy]

https://www.casino.org/news/hempstea...onment-review/

Long Island Casino Environmental Review Moves Forward


December 7, 2023
Todd Shriber

Amid legal challenges from Hofstra University, an environmental review that’s a necessary component of Las Vegas Sands’ efforts to potentially build a casino hotel in Long Island, NY is proceeding.

On Tuesday, policymakers in the town of Hempstead voted unanimously to make the town the go-to regulator for the State Environmental Quality Review Act exercise, which will determine the viability of Sands’ plan to build a $4 billion casino resort at the site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.

Hempstead halted efforts to take the lead in the State Environmental Quality Review Act procedure last month when New York State Supreme Court Judge Sarika Kapoor ruled that Nassau County’s transfer of Coliseum’s lease to Sands violated New York’s open meeting laws. That ruling was later subject to a hold issued by the appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court.

Hofstra, the plaintiff in the suit heard by Kapoor, has asserted that Nassau County officials didn’t give the public adequate avenues or time to make their voices heard on the casino issue while other groups opposing the project claimed no efforts have been made on the environmental review process.

Opponents of the Nassau County casino plan have alleged lawmakers approved the deal with Sands in a backroom fashion, and that processes concerning related regulatory reviews have been shrouded from public comment.

Conversely, supporters of the integrated resort assert that Long Island politicians have made abundantly clear their backing of the Sands proposal, noting that there have been numerous meetings at which residents voiced endorsements for the project.

As for the environmental review process, Hempstead lawmakers voted to use a review drafted by Sands as a template and to hold two related review sessions on January 18 at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale.

The Uniondale Chamber of Commerce is among the groups backing the Sands proposal. The chamber leader noted many local businesses, including restaurants, are supportive of the Sands casino proposal. For LVS, the location is desirable because Nassau County is the second-most populous county in New York after New York City. Additionally, Long Island is a short drive to the Kennedy and LaGuardia airports.

Legal experts speculate that Hofstra’s case centers around sending Nassau County and Sands back to square one, potentially betting that a lengthy legal battle will prevent the county and the gaming company from being prepared to credibly bid for one the three downstate casino licenses New York regulators could award next year.

Both the county and Sands have made clear they intend to forge ahead regardless of Hofstra’s legal efforts. That makes a comprehensive and transparent environmental review essential to rebutting Hofstra’s claims.

It’s also critical to help expedite the legal process because New York’s higher courts are suffering through backlogs and are taking years to hear some environmental review cases.

[NYguy]

https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/12/14/b...ypass-midtown/

Community Board Rips Adams Plan to Have Casino Pitches Bypass Them
The Midtown board unanimously voted down the proposal that would skip the city’s traditional review process. One board member shamed the city officials for “abdicating everything to the state.”





BY GABRIEL POBLETE
DEC. 14, 2023

Mayor Eric Adams wants to clear bureaucratic hurdles for those looking to set up casinos in New York City and locals aren’t having it, voting against the idea and calling it undemocratic.

Members of a Manhattan Community Board 4’s land use committee unanimously opposed the proposed amendment put forth by the city’s Planning Department on Wednesday.

The proposal would allow for casinos to set up in certain commercial or industrial zoning districts — including within CB4, which encompasses Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea — and permits proposals to bypass the city’s zoning process called the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP.

City Hall’s plan to cut out the public review process must, itself, go through its own public review process.

Board members Wednesday denounced the zoning workaround, saying it would take community boards out of the equation. Under ULURP, community boards are typically tasked with voting on an advisory opinion on land use plans.

The Planning Department’s case for doing away with ULURP for casino proposals is that it would duplicate the state’s review process, in which Community Advisory Committees (CAC) will be created for each casino proposal.

In New York City, each CAC will have six members, with Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, the borough president and the local state senator, assemblymember and councilmember each picking one.

The CAC will conduct its own public meetings, and then two-thirds of the members must approve the casino application in order for it to be considered by the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board.

City Planning spokesperson Casey Berkovitz said in a statement to THE CITY that the amendment is “a more efficient use of city time and resources” because the agency will not have to process a rezoning application for each casino proposal.

Dan Garodnick, director of the city planning agency, has said the amendment will help those looking to open in the city compete with proposals elsewhere downstate:

“It’s important that we create a level playing field for applicants within New York City so they can compete for this opportunity,” he said late last month.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has voiced her support for the amendment approval process, releasing a joint statement with Garodnick back in October. The City Council must approve all zoning and land use changes under ULURP.

[NYguy]

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caesars...=oddtdtcreator





Caesars Palace Times Square Job Opportunities Info Session

Date and time
Tuesday, December 19 · 8am - 8pm EST

Location
Hartley House - 413 West 46th Street New York, NY 10036


Bringing jobs to New York, the New York way.

Join us on December 19th at Hartley House to learn more about the job opportunities coming to the community with Caesars.

[DCReid]

SL Green, Caesars Entertainment and Jay-Z, in their bid to develop a casino resort in Times Square, are getting a little help from their neighbors...This week, 10 other owners of prime real estate in Times Square are lending public support to SL Green's bid, arguing that the proposed development would enhance the area’s standing as a tourist and entertainment destination...SL Green also faces local opposition from theater trade group The Broadway League, which said last year that the plans would destabilize the Manhattan corridor famous for its performing arts...

https://www.bisnow.com/new-york/news...ino-bid-122231