[toc]It’s not one of the new Las Vegas-style casinos coming to upstate New York, but in December, another gambling facility is set to open in the Empire State.
It will be Long Island’s first casino.
In August, the Village of Islandia approved the Islandia Marriott Hotel Long Island for 1,000 slot machines. Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation will run the games.
The state Gaming Commission also gave it approval.
Opponents still trying to block project
According to a report from NewsDay.com, area residents are still engaged in an effort to prevent the facility from opening. A lawsuit claims that the building isn’t zoned for gambling.
An increase in traffic reportedly is the main concern for nearby homeowners. Islandia gave the business a special permit for the machines.
Suffolk OTB’s previous plan to build the slots parlor at the former Showcase Cinemas property in Medford fell through after a lawsuit from residents there, according to Long Island Business News.
At the August hearing, Islandia officials touted the 350 jobs that the facility will create, in addition to helping reduce local taxes.
Islandia Mayor Allan Dorman said in a statement as the project was receiving some criticism:
“It will be a hotel operating [slots], not the other way around. For one, there will be no Vegas-style shows at the hotel. Tony Orlando is not coming to Islandia.”
The property will still have a 279-room hotel.
Project moving quickly
The owner of the facility, Buffalo-based Delaware North, said earlier this month that renovations and construction are already underway.
The property will debut about 300 machines this year, with the rest coming next year.
According to News 12 Long Island, the project is expected to help Suffolk OTB successfully emerge from bankruptcy.
The company has $17.5 million in debt.
More slots to the New York City area
The Islandia slots parlor will join Resorts World New York City in the market. The latter has about 5,500 slot and table game machines. It has about 40 percent of the New York State video gaming market.
Resorts World is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genting Malaysia Berhad.
This summer, the Queens gambling facility said it’s eyeing a $400 million expansion. It would add 1,000 slots (bringing the slot total to 4,000). The casino would also have a new hotel and convention complex.
The first slot machines came to New York in 2004 at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway in Saratoga Springs. Since then, the state has allowed eight additional facilities.
According to the state Gaming Commission, there are about 18,000 video gaming machines operating statewide. In New York, online slot games are not currently legal though. The state has yet to pass any laws to regulate online gambling, including NY online slots.
How many slots will the Las Vegas-style casinos bring to New York?
There are four commercial casinos under construction in upstate New York. The first one could open as soon as February.
About 6,300 additional slot machines will be added to the state when all four properties are open.
Unlike other facilities, they can have live dealer table games.
According to the Gaming Commission, video gaming in New York generated just under $2 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2015/2016. That came from about $37 billion in bets.
Meanwhile,
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