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Committees unanimously approve Queens and Yonkers casino proposals
FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini reports live from Jamaica, Queens to go over how two separate casino proposals, one for Queens and one for Yonkers, both passed earlier today.
NEW YORK - Community Advisory Committees approved two casino expansion plans on Thursday for locations in Queens and Yonkers, bringing them one step closer to getting a commercial casino license.
Casino expansion plans
What we know:
The Queens Advisory Committee voted unanimously to approve the expansion plan at Resorts World Casino New York City. The casino's $5.5 billion proposal includes plans for thousands of slot machines and new hotel rooms, hundreds of gaming tables and dozens of green spaces.
A Yonkers committee similarly approved plans for expansion at MGM Empire City. Their proposal includes plans for a new sports book and high-limit lounge, and a full renovation of the gaming floor.
Both facilities are currently operating as partial casinos. Commercial casino licenses would allow the locations to include live dealer games.
The backstory:
The New York State Gaming Commission will award three downstate licenses by the end of the year. In all, eight casinos have put in their bids. The Queens and Yonkers locations are the first to get approval so far.
RELATED: Proposals for casinos in Times Square, Hudson Yards rejected
Just last week, community advisory committees struck down plans for three sites in Manhattan, including one proposed location in Times Square.
What they're saying:
Several community members expressed optimism at what the Resorts World project would mean for the Queens community.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr. said the Resorts World project would pump billions of dollars into Queens' economy.
"Its a win for the residents here," he said. "This is going to be a destination. It's already a destination… but now you're talking about an international destination."
Yonkers City Councilman Mike Breen called Thursday "a good day for Yonkers."
"I'm pretty optimistic that the state is gonna come through, that we're gonna be one of the final three," Breen said.
However, some Yonkers residents aren't as excited by the news.
"My concern is that it seems like the developers are benefiting more than the residents," one resident told FOX 5 NY.
What's next:
The two proposals will now go to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board for further consideration.
The other three proposals — one in the Bronx, one on Coney Island and another in Queens — all will face Community Advisory Committee votes next week.
Details on all the proposals can be found here.
The Source: Information in this story is from the community advisory committee votes on Sept. 25, 2025, the websites for the Resorts World New York City and MGM Empire City proposals, the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board website, interviews with community members and previous FOX 5 NY reports.