Mayor Bloomberg supports Governor’s bid for expanded gambling in NY

Mayor Bloomberg said last Tuesday he is game to bring a casino to the city - despite not being a big fan of gambling. Hizzoner said he would support Governor Cuomo’s plan to possibly bring a casino to a place like Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens - as long as the deck isn’t stacked against the city.

“The governor has the problem of trying to come up with ways to provide the services that people want and are getting harder and harder to afford - and whatever he decides to do, we’ll be supporting him,” Bloomberg said. Cuomo wants to legalize casinos because of their potential to generate revenue for the state - and Bloomberg said the city must get its fair share of the poker chips.“I just want to make sure that if there is gambling, some of those revenues come to New York City,” Bloomberg said. “We need the revenues as well, just like every other part of the state.”

The Daily News reported in its editions Monday that Cuomo is open to bringing a casino to a part of the city that is not densely populated. The governor is expected to call on the Legislature in his State of the State address today January 4 to give the first of two needed approvals for a constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling. In order for the measure to become law, it must also be approved by the public in a referendum.

Cuomo told The News his plan is for the Legislature to initially approve a measure that would not specify where casinos would potentially be located - a strategy that will allow the governor’s office to craft the policy throughout the new year. But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told The News on Monday that he can’t guarantee that his Democratic conference will approve the initial measure because some lawmakers would like a plan that is more clearly defined.

As Cuomo begins to try to sell his plan to the public, Bloomberg’s support is noteworthy, given that as recently as September, the mayor was expressing reservations about casino gambling.