In a bid to build support for getting full-scale casinos, the state's nine racetracks released a report Thursday touting the tracks' economic benefits. The report from the New York Gaming Association, the tracks' lobbying arm, uses figures from the state Lottery Division that showed the nine tracks produced nearly $1.3 billion in revenue in 2011.
The report said the tracks had 5,431 full- and part-time employees in 2011. After expenses, the tracks provided to the state $593 million, which is designated for public education, state records show.
Cuomo said he supports the legalization of casino gambling, but hasn't indicated whether he would let the tracks add table games. The video lottery terminals were approved for the tracks in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.Saratoga Casino and Raceway has big plans if casino gaming is legalized and the Racinos are included. The Racino envisions an expansion that would be roughly $40 million.
Plans would include a new hotel, event center, added food and beverage and a parking garage, as well as additional gaming space for table games. We anticipate that would mean 400 full-time, permanent jobs and about 300 union construction jobs to complete the project.http://poststar.com/highlights/outlook/2012/for-saratoga-casino-and-raceway-it-could-be-game-on/article_95dc6598-5ab1-11e1-8fda-001871e3ce6c.html
Monticello Casino and Raceway has brought more than $25 million for Sullivan County and about 580 full- and part-time jobs for the region, according the according to a new economic impact analysis conducted for the New York Gaming Association.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120221/NEWS/202210332/-1/SITEMAPThis little piece is interesting, from my perspective, as to the lack of opposition to the Governor's plan to legalize casino gaming in New York. Here we have a County legislator in Western New York, who appears not to be a fan of the casino gaming concept, but could get behind a local resolution regarding casino gaming if it supports the local existing Racino. Perhaps everyone can accept the Governor's position of "Hey, lets not kid ourselves, we already have gaming everywhere." We seem to be getting a lot of "I don't really like gambling, but there is nothing to stop it so lets take it further." Go figure.
The Western Regional Off-track Betting Corp. is lining up support to turn Batavia Downs into a full-service casino and they took their case to the Genesee County Legislature.
Legislator Mary Pat Hancock said she isn't fully supportive of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's push to legalize casino gambling across the board in New York, but she could support this resolution because it limits gaming to just the existing racing and video-terminal facilities (often called "racinos").
http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/batavia-downs-lining-support-offer-table-games-full-service-casino/30485
Erie County Fairgrounds has instituted some major improvements have been done for this year’s Buffalo Raceway season. The half-mile racetrack has been resurfaced with 600 tons of new racetrack material, to give a better racing surface for the horses and work has been done on some of the horse barns and other buildings.
http://www.thesunnews.net/news/671-Buffalo_Raceway_upgrades_show_E.C._Agricultural_Societys_commitment_to_racing.html
In Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal leadership recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the opening of Foxwoods Casino.
http://www.necn.com/02/15/12/Foxwoods-Casino-celebrates-its-20th-anni/landing_newengland.html?blockID=651928&feedID=4206
In Massachusetts, a Federal Court has ruled that the preference given to federally recognized Indian tribes in the state's new gaming law is based on a political distinction and not race. The U.S. District Court judge has dismissed the lawsuit filed by a prospective New Bedford casino developer, KG Urban Enterprises of New York.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120218/NEWS/202180337/-1/NEWSMAP
Also in Massachusetts, concerns have been raised that the proposed casino licensing fee is too low. Massachusett’s “minimum” bid of $85 million per license, set in much touted casino legislation last fall, is far lower than what officials in New York and Illinois have charged in recent casino licensing deals.
“If you set it low, they will go low,” Hooke said of the minimum bid set by Massachusetts. “The state has an obligation to ensure that it obtains market prices for its casino gaming licenses.”
It is an assessment backed by John Kindt, a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois. Kindt is urging Illinois to up casino licensing fees to $500 million each, up from just $150,000 that is now being proposed.
Massachusetts casino licenses should also fetch at least half a billion each given the size and density of the state’s population, Kindt argued.
http://www.golocalprov.com/news/casino-2/
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget for 2012 was explained by New York Secretary Of State Cesar Perales in a morning meeting held February 16 at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria.
Cuomo is also proposing to build the largest convention center in America on the grounds of Aqueduct Race Track. It would replace the Jacob Javits Center, which has for the quarter-century of its existence been deplored as too small and, being in relative isolation in the far western part of Midtown Manhattan, too out-of-the-way. Perales said the governor would like to see the Javits Center replaced by housing and a full plan for West Midtown redevelopment, rather than the partial measures thus far taken. Building the convention center in South Queens would begin with the Genting Group, the Malaysian developer that has built gaming and convention facilities in the Far East and lately turned Aqueduct Race Track into a “racino”. Genting is offering to invest $4 billion in creating the convention center. Genting’s racino is limited to slot machines and horse racing and unlike a casino, which offers roulette and card games. Casino gambling is illegal in New York state and therefore Genting’s $4 billion offer is accompanied by the demand that an amendment to the state constitution be passed allowing casino gambling. The governor is amenable to such an amendment, Perales said.
http://www.qgazette.com/news/2012-02-22/Features/Perales_Explains_Governors_Budget_Racino_Plans.htmlGary Greenberg, a minority owner of Vernon Downs, is doing what he can to get casino gaming legalized in New York.
http://www.rwnewyork.com/about-resorts-world/news-articles/170-taking-stock-in-comos-gambling-proposalhttp://romesentinel.com/news?newsid=20120116-142219
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