Resorts World in Queens and MGM’s Empire City Casino in Yonkers secured unanimous approval from local advisory committees this week, giving them an early edge in New York’s high-stakes race for up to three downstate casino licenses. Their progress comes as all three Manhattan bids were rejected, narrowing the competition in one of the most closely watched development battles in the state.

This week’s votes gave downstate casino projects their first breakthrough. Resorts World in Queens and Empire City in Yonkers had a built-in edge: both already operate as racinos, drawing steady crowds and revenue. Now they’re using that momentum to sell far larger visions – billion-dollar expansions paired with promises of libraries, parks, and job creation – as they head to the state for review.

Empire City’s $2.3 Billion Proposal

MGM’s Empire City Casino, located at Yonkers Raceway, advanced on a 5-0 vote. The company’s $2.3 billion plan would transform the property with 183 live dealer tables, 14 new restaurants and bars, and a 5,000-seat entertainment venue. Community investments are central to the pitch: $10 million for a new library and community center, millions for streetscape and park upgrades, and $100 million for local traffic and drainage improvements.

Committee chair James Cavanaugh made clear the stakes for Yonkers. “If Yonkers does not get one of the three full casino licenses, Empire Casino will wither and die,” he said, warning that the facility could not compete with new full-service casinos nearby.

Empire City first opened in 2006 with electronic machines and horse racing. MGM acquired it in 2019, and last year it generated more than $600 million in gambling revenue.

Resorts World’s Expansion in Queens

At Aqueduct Racetrack, Resorts World won a 6-0 vote from its local committee. The $5.5 billion expansion would create a half-million-square-foot casino floor with hundreds of table games, new hotel rooms, a large arena, and green space. Genting, the operator, projects 24,000 jobs, including 5,000 permanent positions, and has billed the development as the largest casino in the country.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards gave an energetic endorsement during the vote: “There’s a theme in Queens … ‘Queens get the money.’ Sorry, Jay-Z, we win again.”

Resorts World opened in 2011 and has consistently led the U.S. in revenue from video lottery terminals, topping $1 billion annually. It expanded in 2021 with a 400-room hotel.

Hard Rock Joins the Race Near Citi Field

Queens may see another contender after Hard Rock International’s $6.4 billion Metropolitan Park proposal, backed by Mets owner Steve Cohen, won committee approval. The plan calls for a hotel-casino complex near Citi Field in Willets Point, despite earlier political opposition from State Senator Jessica Ramos.

Donovan Richards, who also sits on this committee, called the project “a home run for Citi Field and for Queens.”

Projects Falter Elsewhere

Manhattan’s three casino bids – Caesars Palace Times Square, Freedom Plaza, and The Avenir – were all rejected. In Brooklyn, the Coney Island proposal is already on shaky ground. Several committee members have gone public with their opposition ahead of the scheduled vote, dimming its chances of advancing. Over in the Bronx, Bally’s bid near the Whitestone Bridge remains undecided, leaving its future in limbo as other projects move ahead.

Critics argue that casinos bring more harm than benefit to surrounding neighborhoods. “Predatory casinos are based off draining wealth from local communities,” said Andrew Sokolof Díaz, president of the 89th Street Tenants Unidos Association in Queens.

The Road Ahead for New York’s Casino Bids

The projects that cleared advisory committees now move to the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board, which will issue recommendations in December. Final approval rests with the New York State Gaming Commission, expected to award up to three licenses by year’s end. Each license carries a $500 million price tag.

With Manhattan’s bids sidelined, the battle is now centered on Queens and Yonkers, where Resorts World and Empire City are armed with billion-dollar expansion plans and local political backing, putting them in position as the front-runners for a New York casino license.