“A lot of effort, about $8 million and two years,” said Thomas Wilmot, developer of the Lago Resort & Casino. Let’s keep their dollars in New York,” Cuomo said.įor the winners, Wednesday’s decision represented the successful conclusion to a long and expensive push. Andrew Cuomo said the casinos will act as a “magnet” to lure New York City residents to upstate destinations and reduce the amount of money New York gamblers spend in other states. “This is going to be good jobs, good development.” “We needed this,” said Schenectady resident James Torre, whose father worked at a locomotive plant at the site of the future casino. The three selected projects are projected to support more than 3,200 full-time jobs and generate $265 million in tax revenues, along with $136 million in licensing fees.

The three regions were picked to spread out the benefits – and to avoid competition with existing tribal casinos. With its proximity to New York City, the Catskills and mid-Hudson Valley attracted the most interest, with nine bidders. This is our time.”Īpplicants submitted 16 bids for licenses. This means new life,” said restaurant owner Randy Resnick. “Jobs! People! Homes can get sold! It’s exactly what we need to boost our economy and our spirits.” “It’s going to be huge,” said Pamela Pesante, a real estate agent. “At the end of the day we had to do what made financial sense.”Īt Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant in Sullivan County, dozens of casino supporters who gathered to watch the decision live cheered and hugged after the Montreign proposal was announced.

“We did take a look at what was happening in the entire industry,” he said. Board Chairman Kevin Law noted that several faced environmental and financial uncertainties and would have taken revenue from other gambling facilities. The board opted not to award a license in New York City’s suburban Orange County, the site of six competing proposals. It was the largest contender in the Finger Lakes-Southern Tier region. – Lago Resort & Casino, a $425 million project in the Finger Lakes town of Tyre in Seneca County, will include 2,000 slot machines. The $300 million project will include a hotel, a high-end steakhouse, 66 gambling tables and more than 1,100 slot machines. – The Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor in the city of Schenectady will be part of a larger redevelopment effort at a formerly blighted riverfront site.

Finger lakes casinos