NYC Casino Race: Resorts World, Empire City Move Ahead

Resorts World New York City and MGM’s Empire City Casino won unanimous backing from their Community Advisory Committees Thursday, becoming the first existing venues to advance to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board in the race for the state’s three new commercial casino licences. After several Manhattan proposals were rejected earlier this week, the CAC votes put these two established properties squarely in contention as the process moves to its next stage.

Why the CACs favored these bids

Both operators brought hard numbers and long track records to their meetings. MGM is proposing a $2.3 billion reinvestment that would transform Empire City at Yonkers Raceway into a full-scale commercial casino and entertainment hub while preserving horseracing and parimutuel operations. Empire City reports it has generated more than $5 billion for New York State education since opening in October 2006 — including $1.6 billion since MGM took over in 2019 — and forecasts annual gross gaming revenue between $1.03 billion and $1.39 billion under the expanded plan, a projected increase of 92–129% over current VLT operations.

Genting’s Resorts World is pitching a larger $5.5 billion integrated resort expansion that the company says will generate roughly $1 billion in new incremental revenue within a year of opening. RWNYC has been a dominant VLT performer since 2011 and has contributed more than $4.5 billion to New York’s public education fund, which helped make its case at the CAC meeting.

What players and communities can expect if approvals continue

For players, the proposals promise bigger gaming floors, more diverse slot and table-game inventory, expanded hospitality and entertainment options, and enhanced on-site amenities. Operators already list widely accepted payment options — including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express at Empire City and Visa, MasterCard and American Express at Resorts World — plus live chat and email support to handle customer needs. Empire City’s operator lists a headline welcome offer in its marketing materials; Resorts World advertises a $50 Free Play welcome that could be rolled out quickly to early registrants if the licence moves forward (availability will be limited, so act fast once official offers are announced). For a sense of the kinds of slot titles these operators can deploy, see the Pragmatic Play release Fishin' Reels and its bonus-packed Free Spins and Reel It In features.

Beyond gaming, both projects promise significant economic impacts: construction and permanent jobs, increased local tax receipts, and continued contributions to education funding. Those figures helped persuade CAC members that the proposals offer measurable benefits beyond the casino floor.

Oversight, timing and open questions

Approval from a CAC is a high bar, but it’s not the finish line. The New York Gaming Facility Location Board will weigh these proposals along with others before awarding up to three commercial licences by year-end. The CAC process exposed contrasting community views earlier this week when three Manhattan bids failed to secure local backing, underscoring how neighborhood concerns about traffic, infrastructure and local impacts still shape outcomes.

Remaining bidders face imminent votes: Bally’s Bronx and The Coney’s are scheduled for Monday, and Metropolitan Park’s CAC vote is set for Tuesday. Those results will further clarify the field for the Location Board.

Watch the board stage and the market reaction

With two major players cleared to advance, expect heightened lobbying, more granular economic modeling from bidders, and a rush of public- and private-sector planning around potential development timelines. If the Location Board signs off later this year, operators will move rapidly from concept to construction bids and operator partnerships — and players in New York could be looking at expanded options and promotional windows sooner than many expect.

Keep an eye on the Empire City Casino review for details about MGM’s plans and amenities, and on the Resorts World New York City Casino page for updates about the $50 Free Play offer and the venue’s expansion timeline. The next week of CAC votes and the Location Board’s deliberations will shape which projects actually reach the finish line.