Resorts World, Empire City Gain NYC Casino Approval

Resorts World New York City and MGM’s Empire City Casino cleared a critical hurdle Thursday when their Community Advisory Committees (CACs) gave unanimous support for their commercial casino bids. The approvals send both proposals forward to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which will decide which three projects receive the state’s new commercial licences before year-end. The votes mark a turnaround after three Manhattan bids were rejected earlier this week, leaving Resorts World and Empire City as the first confirmed contenders to advance to the next stage.

Billion-dollar investments promise bigger venues and bigger prizes

MGM is proposing a $2.3 billion transformation of Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway into a full-scale commercial casino and entertainment complex while preserving its historic horseracing and parimutuel operations. The operator points to more than $5 billion generated for New York State education since the property opened in 2006 — including $1.6 billion under MGM ownership since 2019 — as evidence of the venue’s proven economic engine. MGM’s projections show annual gross gaming revenue (GGR) rising to between $1.03 billion and $1.39 billion, representing a 92%–129% lift over current video lottery terminal operations.

For players that means a potential expansion of floor space, larger progressive pools, deeper loyalty programs and more table-game variety. Empire City already markets a headline welcome package; details and the casino’s full profile can be found in our Empire City Casino review.

Resorts World aims even higher with an integrated resort plan

Genting’s Resorts World NYC is proposing a $5.5 billion integrated resort built on the foundation of the city’s top-grossing VLT property. Resorts World expects to generate about $1 billion in new incremental revenue next year and has contributed more than $4.5 billion to New York’s public education fund since opening in 2011. “We are incredibly grateful to the large number of residents, partners, and supporters who touted this project, without a single person speaking against it,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, noting strong community backing for the expansion.

Players and locals could see upgraded entertainment offerings, additional jackpot-linked slot machines and more frequent promotional windows — including the sort of free-play welcome offers Resorts World currently promotes. For a closer look at the property, see our Resorts World New York City Casino review.

What new licences would mean for games, software and promotions

If either project wins one of the three licences, players will likely find a wider slate of software partners and marquee titles installed on launch. Empire City already works with suppliers such as Booming Games, Greentube, Novomatic and Red Rake Gaming; Resorts World lists Pragmatic Play among its partners. Expect mainstream hits and progressive mechanics that drive larger single-spin payouts and multilevel jackpots — games like Power of Thor Megaways exemplify the kind of high-volatility, feature-rich titles operators may lean on during grand openings and promotional campaigns.

Welcome offers and launch promotions will be front-and-center when new facilities rebrand or expand. Resorts World promotes a $50 free-play package and Empire City lists a headline 500% welcome package, signaling aggressive customer acquisition strategies that will move quickly once approvals and timelines are set. With the Location Board aiming to finalize awards by year-end, promotional calendars tied to openings will likely be time-limited — players should monitor official channels closely if they want to take advantage of initial bonuses.

Community impact, revenue forecasts and the path ahead

Both bids emphasize job creation, tourism lift and additional tax revenue for education and municipal projects. Empire City’s long track record of contributions and Resorts World’s status as the state’s largest VLT taxpayer were central to CAC support. Still, the Location Board will weigh economic projections, community input and competition among the remaining contenders before issuing licences.

The remaining CAC votes for Bally’s Bronx and The Coney’s are scheduled for Monday, with Metropolitan Park’s vote on Tuesday. After those tallies, the Board will move toward its final selections; communities, investors and players alike will be watching closely as the state’s gaming landscape reshapes over the next several months.

As these major projects move toward final review, New York stands to gain larger-scale gaming floors, deeper prize pools and sharper promotional windows — developments that could reshape where players go for big jackpots and premium casino experiences.