In a crowded bidding pool that included the majority of the biggest and most powerful gaming operators in the world, the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) was once expected to have a challenging process to decide where three downstate casino licenses would be awarded. However, state officials now only need to reject one of the four remaining bids.
When the state's Request for Applications (RFA) session ended on June 27, 2025, just eight of the more than twelve project proposals for the three downstate New York casino concessioners had been confirmed.
Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts were among the corporations who prepared bids prior to the RFA deadline but ended their efforts before the application period ended. They mentioned local opposition and worries about iGaming, respectively. MGM Resorts, Genting Group, Bally's Corp., Hard Rock, Caesars Entertainment, Mohegan, Saratoga Casino Holdings, and Rush Street Gaming were the eight gaming corporations who presented RFAs in partnerships.
The community advisory committee (CAC) for each bid has decided whether the project should go to the final assessment stage before the New York GFLB since the June deadline. The bidding pool was cut in half by the eight CAC results.
The CACs for Bally's Bronx and The Coney in Brooklyn decided their fates at the start of this week.
With a vote of 4-2, the Bally's plan—which was supported by NYC Mayor Eric Adams—was approved, obtaining the required three-fifths majority. The initiative to rebuild the beachfront village was rejected by the Coney CAC, who voted 4-2 against it.
The Bally’s and Coney CAC votes followed earlier CAC approvals of MGM Empire City in Yonkers and Resorts World New York City in Queens. These proposals were rejected by CACs for Freedom Plaza in Midtown East, Caesars Palace Times Square, and The Avenir in Hell's Kitchen.
The eighth and last CAC voted on Hard Rock's proposal to New York Mets owner and private equity billionaire Steve Cohen at Metropolitan Park on Tuesday morning. As anticipated, the plan was unanimously approved 6-0, sending a fourth downstate casino for consideration to the state GFLB.
Despite having the second-highest salary in baseball, Cohen's Mets did not qualify for the MLB postseason, thus the vote was excellent news.
In order to turn Willets Point into a casino resort akin to Las Vegas, Cohen and Hard Rock have planned a $8 billion investment next to Citi Field. A 25-acre public park, community sports facilities, and affordable housing units have been added to the contract by the would-be developers.
According to the majority of accounts, including those of the Casino.org media, the New York GFLB's work is essentially finished.
At this point, MGM and Resorts World, the longtime leaders, are all but certain. The board is anticipated to grant Metropolitan Park the third and last gambling license now that Sands, Wynn, and Caesars all closed.
The billionaire's lobbying power in Albany and his apparent willingness to spend whatever it takes to achieve his goals have helped Cohen's push for a casino. Casino bids drove record-breaking lobbying expenditures in New York last year.
The Hard Rock offer would likely be preferred over the Bronx plan even if Cohen wasn't supporting Metropolitan Park because of its connections to Bally's, a business that has recently experienced financial difficulties. With its multibillion-dollar projects in Chicago and Las Vegas, Bally's is overleveraged, raising financial concerns.
By December 1, 2025, the New York GFLB is anticipated to select the three winners.
