Three groups with experience of running casinos in Asia are among eight bidders for one of three licences potentially on offer in downstate New York in the United States.
All the bids will be reviewed by relevant local authorities and the state Gaming Facility Location Board.
Malaysia’s Genting group – which already runs casinos in Malaysia, Singapore, Las Vegas Nevada and upstate New York – joined the bidding race by the time of a Friday deadline. Also in contention is MGM Resorts International, parent of Macau operator MGM China Holdings Ltd, which had made its announcement on Thursday about investing US$2.3-billion .
Both firms propose extending and upgrading existing slots and electronic gaming facilities they run in the boroughs of Queens and Yonkers respectively.
Resorts World New York City, Genting’s existing venue, said in a statement, referring to its existing slots facility: “The 5.6 million-square-foot [520,257 sq.-metre] proposal reimagines New York City’s only casino as a vibrant, world-class integrated resort for entertainment, gaming, dining, recreation, and expansive public amenities.”
The 73-acre (29.5-hectare) project would deliver “world-class amenities that service the local community, the tri-state region, and international travellers – including many of the 63 million passengers who travel through nearby JFK airport every year,” said Genting.
The group pledged that “an estimated 5,000 union construction jobs would be created to realise an integrated resort with a total of a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with 6,000 slots and 800 table games.”
It also said there would be “2,000 hotel rooms; a 7,000-seat entertainment venue; more than 7,000 car spaces; over 30 food and beverage outlets; large-scale meeting space; other resort amenities; and more than 10 acres of community green space”.
Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, trading as Mohegan Gaming, proposes a casino in Manhattan. The group developed the Inspire Entertainment Resort, a complex with foreigner-only casino at Incheon, South Korea. That facility is now run by one of its lenders, Bain Capital.
U.S.-based casino group Bally’s Corp – which has pledged cash toward a yet-to-be-completed rescue bid for struggling Australian casino business The Star Entertainment Group Ltd – has submitted a bid to create a downstate New York casino in the Bronx.
The New York Gaming Commission launched in January 2023 a request-for-applications process for three casino licences in downstate New York. It outlined a US$1-billion minimum requirement for the licence fee and capital investment, with US$500 million payable within 30 days as the licence fee.
The relevant casino permits would be granted for a period of between 10 and 30 years, depending on the size of the investment pledged.
In May, Wynn Resorts Ltd, parent of Macau operator Wynn Macau Ltd, said it would not take part in the bidding process for a licence in downstate New York. Rival casino operator Las Vegas Sands – parent of Macau concessionaire Sands China Ltd – also dropped out of the race in April.
