The Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards, expressed confidence that the two casino projects planned for the borough will win licenses when the Gaming Facility Location Board votes on Monday. “I feel confident. I feel bullish. Bet on Queens,” he told reporters on Sunday, the day before the board will decide on up to three downstate casino permits, with both contenders proposing sites in Queens.
Richards pointed out why Queens deserves the win: “Why go to Manhattan? You can stay in Queens! Queens becomes a global entertainment hub.” The two proposals come from different groups. Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, leads a team that wants to build a gaming complex near Citi Field, while Genting’s Resorts World is bidding for a casino at the Aqueduct track. A third bidder, Bally’s, is also in the running, with a project at Ferry Point—the former Trump golf course in the Bronx.
Richards described the potential impact of Cohen’s $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino complex, which would sit next to the U.S. Tennis Center, a new soccer stadium, and Citi Field, acting as a tourist magnet and economic multiplier. He noted that Resorts World already operates a slot parlor for over a decade, so it could add live table games in just a few months because the space is already in place. The expanded complex, with community‑benefit components, is valued at $7.5 billion, and both bidders plan to include concert halls for added entertainment.
Both sites lie close to the borough’s airports— Metropolitan Park near LaGuardia and Resorts World near JFK. Bally’s $4 billion bid has strong backing from Bronx Democratic officials, although it has faced local opposition. Bally’s chairman Soo Kim told The Post Saturday that his chances of securing a license “look pretty good.” “We put our best effort out there,” he added. “I don’t think we have any weak spots.”
Bally’s acquired the Ferry Point golf course from the Trump Organization in 2023, renaming it Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. The property sits on the Bronx side of the Whitestone Bridge that connects to Queens. In return for a potential casino license, Bally’s agreed to provide the Trump Organization an additional $115 million.
The Gaming Facility Location Board evaluates each proposal according to state law, weighing 70 % economic activity and business development, 10 % site impact, and 20 % workforce enhancement and diversity. Casino applicants must pay a $500 million license fee and commit at least $500 million to capital investment. A portion of the gaming proceeds is earmarked for mass‑transit improvements.
The original field of eleven bidders has narrowed to three, but the board isn’t required to award any licenses; it could also pass. Many insiders in Albany believe the immediate cash from the licenses will prompt the state to award up to three permits, though the final decision rests with the New York Gaming Commission, which will ratify or reject the board’s recommendations by the end of the year.
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