Senator Addabbo calls on gaming board to expedite New York casino licenses following MGM’s withdrawal

New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who chairs the Senate’s racing, gaming, and wagering committee, has called on the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board to move quickly in awarding the remaining downstate casino licenses after MGM Resorts International unexpectedly withdrew from the competition this week.

The five-member board, which oversees the licensing process for the New York City metropolitan area, is expected to announce its decisions by December 1. With MGM now out, the remaining contenders for the three available licenses are Genting Group’s Resorts World, Bally’s Corp., and a proposal led by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen in partnership with Hard Rock International.

Addabbo said any further delays would slow down job creation in both construction and long-term resort operations and postpone much-needed funding for public transportation generated through the license fees. “I don’t see why the state wouldn’t award the last three licenses to the last three applicants,” he said.

The senator, a Democrat, has long supported gaming expansion in New York. He backed the 2013 referendum authorizing seven non-tribal casinos and sponsored a 2023 bill to accelerate the current licensing process. He described MGM’s exit as unexpected. “They were perceived always as a frontrunner,” he said.

MGM’s decision came after the state proposed changes that would reduce the casino license term from 30 years to 15, potentially requiring renewal payments in the future. The initial license fee is set at a minimum of $500 million.

The company had planned a $2.3 billion expansion of its Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, transforming it from a slots-only facility into a full-scale casino. MGM said the close proximity of competing properties in the New York metropolitan area would have diminished its projected investment returns.

Following MGM’s withdrawal, three potential sites remain under consideration: Genting and Hard Rock’s projects in Queens and Bally’s proposal in the Bronx. Earlier this year, Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Wynn Resorts Ltd. also exited the race, while four other bids, three of them in Manhattan, were eliminated during local reviews.