These Are Your Eight Finalists for NYC Casino Project

A total of eight prospects have submitted formal bids to operate coveted - and sometimes controversial - New York City area casinos.  The projects, for which there are three, are currently under development.  The submission deadline came on Friday

These Are the Finalists

MGM Empire City Casino

MGM received zoning approval for its full-scale expansion. 

The zoning approval for the MGM casino project allows the property to expand its offerings to include Class III slot machines, live-dealer table games, and retail sports betting, pending a commercial gaming license from the state.

This casino would be based in Yonkers. 

“Yonkers is on its way to winning big in spurring transformative economic growth, job creation, entertainment, and more,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “This vote signals to New York that the Yonkers site has speed to market readiness and is prepared to hit the ground running once licenses are granted.”

Bally's 

From News 12: 

Bally’s is looking to build a casino at Ferry Point Park in the Throggs Neck neighborhood of the Bronx. Meanwhile, The Coney team is looking to open one in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn.  Some argue it will bring jobs and business to the borough, but there's a lot of pushback from people living in those neighborhoods. 

Caesars

Key stats for Caesars Palace Times Square per their Friday press release:

• $5.4 billion in total direct investment
• $23.2 billion+ in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in the first 10 years of operation
• 3,800+ permanent jobs at CPTS, the vast majority to be filled by New Yorkers
• 3,000+ construction jobs
• $7 billion in direct tax revenue in the first 10 years of operation
• $26.7 billion in local economic activity in the first 10 years of operation
• 992 hotel rooms, 150,000+ square feet of gaming, Caesars Sportsbook at The 40/40 Club, the luxurious Qua Baths & Spa
• Restaurants from renowned chefs including Daniel Boulud, Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Melba Wilson and Lucali’s
• Reimagined and newly renovated Broadway theater

More

Others include The Avenir, a project by Silverstein Properties and Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment to be built on Manhattan’s West Side (11th Avenue, near Javits Center) and will incorporate a luxury hotel. 

Freedom Plaza is led by the Soloviev Group in collaboration with Mohegan and would be located on NYC's East side near the UN and East River. 

Metropolitan Park is being Spearheaded by Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International.  It would be located near Citi Field in Queens. 

The Coney is being led by a consortium that includes Thor Equities alongside Saratoga Casino, Legends, and the Chickasaw Nation.  As the name implies, the project is based in Coney Island, Brooklyn. 

Resorts World New York City also met the deadline.  Resorts World has been plagued by an extensive money laundering probe at its property in Las Vegas over the past year.  They were fined $10.5 million as a result.