Overview
- The New York State Gaming Commission granted final licenses to Hard Rock’s Metropolitan Park by Citi Field, Bally’s Bronx at Ferry Point, and Resorts World New York City at Aqueduct Racetrack.
- Each operator must pay a $500 million licensing fee, with state projections citing roughly $7 billion in gaming taxes between 2027 and 2036 plus about $5.9 billion in other taxes benefiting transit and education.
- The approvals require five-year agreements with independent monitors who will file quarterly reports on whether promised community benefits and hiring goals are being met.
- Resorts World says it can add table games and open as a full casino within months, while the Hard Rock and Bally’s projects are multi-year builds targeting around 2030; the licenses run 15 years for Bally’s and Resorts World and 20 years for Metropolitan Park.
- Protesters disrupted the vote and signaled possible lawsuits, and the Bally’s Bronx award includes a $115 million payment to the Trump Organization tied to the Ferry Point site.