Community leaders have signed off on two casino proposals, one in Yonkers and one in Queens.
On Thursday, the community board gave the okay to expand and renovate Empire City Casino in Yonkers, turning it into a full casino. Advocates say it would provide new tax revenue and more jobs. Yonkers Planning Department Commissioner James Cavanaugh calls it existential.
"We recognize that not every effect will be positive. There will be more traffic and demands upon public infrastructure and emergency services. That's why MGM will be required to spend an estimated one-hundred million dollars in mitigation."
A community board also approved a casino for Aqueduct Raceway in Queens. There are a few other proposals yet to be voted on. The three Manhattan casino proposals were all struck down by community boards. The state is expected to award three downstate casino licenses in December.