Decision on Downstate NY Licenses to be Made in Late 2025
During a public meeting on Monday, Executive Director of the New York State Gaming Commission Robert Williams revealed updated information on three licenses that will be issued in downstate New York. According to his words, the decision will in likelihood not be made until late 2025, when all regulatory hurdles, including zoning and environmental reviews, are cleared.
A request for applications (RFA) process was launched in January 2023. The New York State Gaming Commission outlined major requirements for three casino licenses in downstate New York. They include a $500-million license fee and an equivalent amount of money as a capital investment. These casino permits will be valid for a period of 10-30 years.
To qualify for a license, applicants must be considered compliant with zoning. Williams said that he’d been informally advised that navigating the New York City Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process would extend through the second quarter of 2025.
According to Williams, in addition to zoning and community requirements there was also another one that would implicate extended timelines, namely the environmental review process. Williams noted he believed that all parties considering making an application understood that they would be required to navigate an environmental review process.
According to the executive, the processes mentioned are unlikely to conclude before Q1 2025, resulting in a commission license consideration by the end of 2025. A formal review of the timing will take place in forthcoming weeks during a meeting of The Gaming Facility Location Board that is responsible for selecting up to three applicants.
In other news, Travel + Leisure names Wynn and Encore the best Las Vegas casinos.
