NEW YORK (PIX11) — The house wins again. All three New York City casino applicants have been approved for commercial licenses by the State Gaming Commission.
Bally’s in the Bronx, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park in Flushing and Resorts World at Aquaduct Race Track have been granted gaming facility licenses after nearly a year of voting processes and discussions.
The Gaming Commission, made up of seven board members, was met with chants of “Shame on You!” as the approvals were made at Darrell Farrell Riverbank State Park on Monday.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards called the approval a “Jackpot” in a statement released following the approval of Metropolitan Park and Resorts World.
“From the first blueprints to the final vote, the pocket aces that are Metropolitan Park and Resorts World have both embodied what it means to be community-centered, with each offering unparalleled neighborhood benefits packages that will strengthen our physical and societal infrastructure,” Richards said.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
Earlier this month, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said, “I look forward to the prospect of working with unions to ensure that every job that’s created is actually a union job,” after the Gaming Facility Locations Board sent the applicants to the final stage of approval.
After the vote, community groups that opposed having casinos in New York City called for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s resignation, saying “Hochul has shown her true allegiance to billionaires and corporations by approving these casinos. She is a disgrace to New York State and should resign from public office.”
There were eight casinos up for review when the process began earlier this year, including multiple in Manhattan.
Four were shot down during the local approval stage with Community Advisory Committees, one removed itself from the running before it was able to be reviewed by the Gaming Facility Locations Board.
Bally’s Bronx will feature nearly 4,000 slot machines and live table games combined, a 507-room hotel, an event center and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and clubhouse.
Metropolitan Park, spearheaded by Hard Rock and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, promises to convert Citi Field’s surrounding parking lots into community green space, as well as thousands of slot machines and hundreds of table games at the Hard Rock. A 5,600-seat entertainment venue, two hotel towers with 1,000 rooms and more than 15 local restaurants will occupy the space as well.
Resorts World will add live table games and over 4,600 slot machines to its existing casino, as well as a new hotel and a 7,000-seat event center.
All three projects are expected to be built with the help of thousands of union workers from around New York City.
Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.