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Yesterday, New York’s State Gaming Commission made it official: three full-scale casino sites, two in Queens and one in the Bronx, have been granted licenses to be built and operate.
The approved projects include Hard Rock and Mets owner Steve Cohen’s sprawling complex next to Citi Field and Resorts World’s proposal near JFK Airport in Queens, as well as Bally’s project in the Bronx, on a former golf course owned by President Donald Trump. Notably absent from the list: JAY-Z’s proposed Times Square casino, which did not receive a license.
“The three approved casinos will generate billions of dollars for the MTA and education, create tens of thousands of jobs and deliver real benefits to their surrounding communities,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in an official statement. “Each of the projects made significant commitments to their communities and to New York State, and the Gaming Commission was clear that they will hold these projects accountable and make sure they keep their promises. That is what New Yorkers expect and what they deserve.”
This decision has been a long time coming. Back in 2013, a constitutional amendment was passed allowing up to seven casinos statewide, with as many as three reserved specifically for the New York City area. Four upstate casinos were approved already, making yesterday’s announcement the final—and most anticipated—piece of the puzzle.
While no official timelines have been announced, here’s what we know about each project so far. Hard Rock and Cohen’s plan would transform 50 acres of the Citi Field parking lot into a massive entertainment district featuring a Hard Rock hotel, a casino, a live music venue, a “Taste of Queens” food hall, and numerous restaurants and bars. The remaining space would be converted into a new public park.
Resorts World’s gaming complex, meanwhile, will rise at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica. According to reports, it could be the first of the three to become operational, since the site already hosts a racino (that would be a race track with gambling facilities) with more than 5,800 slot machines and electronic table games. Bloomberg reports that the full project will include a new 1,600-room hotel, an arena and more than 30 restaurants and bars.
Bally’s Bronx casino will be built near Ferry Point Park and is slated to include a 500-room hotel, a 2,000-capacity event center, a nightclub, a spa and a mix of restaurants, bars and retail spaces.
It already feels like the birth of a new version of New York—one where casino floors sit alongside ballparks, racetracks and waterfront parks, reshaping not just the city’s skyline but its economy, nightlife and cultural identity for decades to come.