Three Locations Approved for New York Casinos

The first step in the building of three new casinos in New York is now complete with the three locations having been chosen. The New York Gaming Facility Location Board have given the green light for construction at sites in Seneca, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, rejecting the project in Orange County for fear that it would do significant harm to racetracks and slots parlours that already exist just a little further south, such as the Genting Casino near Aqueduct racetrack and Yonkers.

This is of course just the initial go ahead and the casinos will not be up and running for a few years yet, however when the doors open they are expected to create many new jobs and provide much needed tax revenue. A referendum took place last year and voters in New York State agreed to the awarding of seven casino licenses, with the first four to be constructed in Upstate locations, where the jobs are required most. A total of 22 companies applied to be involved and that was quickly narrowed down to 16.

A casino that will be built by the Chicago based Rush Street Gaming and the Galesi Group will be located at Schenectady near Albany just on the banks of the Mohawk River. Another will go up in Tyre Seneca County in the Finger Lakes area and the third will be in Thompson and be developed by Empire City Resorts. Casinos in Pennsylvania are expected to take most of the hit when the new NY casinos open their doors, and there's the fear that slots parlours in racetracks in New York may also lose out, with the new casinos having the ability to offer table games such as blackjack and roulette.