{"id":194179,"date":"2026-04-12T08:40:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T08:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/194179\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T08:40:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T08:40:29","slug":"new-york-city-cdc-gaming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/194179\/","title":{"rendered":"New York City \u2013 CDC Gaming"},"content":{"rendered":"

Join CDC Gaming as we embark upon a road trip Inside America\u2019s Casinos. We embark on our journey in New York City, where things are taking shape.<\/p>\n

The race for New York City\u2019s casinos is no longer theoretical; it\u2019s happening right now. If you need to see it for yourself, there\u2019s no better place to go than Queens. So I went to check out New York\u2019s largest borough, which will host not one, but two of the city\u2019s casinos. What I found was two totally different sites and for now, being in Queens is one of the very few things they have in common.<\/p>\n

Site #1: Metropolitan Park<\/p>\n

My visit to Queens started in Flushing in the Corona Park area. More specifically, I went to Citi Field, home of baseball\u2019s New York Mets, where owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International are teaming up to build an $8 billion casino and entertainment complex. Expected to open in June 2030, the Metropolitan Park project is being designed as a full resort spanning 50 acres. The gaming space will include an estimated 5,000 slot machines, 375 table games, 30 poker tables, and an 18,000-square-foot sportsbook. The non-gaming parts will include a Hard Rock hotel, live-music venue, shopping, parking, and even 20 acres of public park space.<\/p>\n

\"Metropolitan<\/p>\n

Plans for the site (Courtesy Hard Rock)<\/p>\n

What the locals say<\/p>\n

There is a strong organized opposition to the project from several community groups. These include the Flushing Workers Center and Guardians of Flushing Bay, which are protesting and voicing concerns about the project\u2019s social impact, infrastructure (mainly traffic) overload, and economic displacement, which will result in a hike in housing prices in the area.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/p>\n

Infrastructure work is set to begin a Metropolitan Park (CDC Gaming)<\/p>\n

However, when I spoke to several people in the area about the prospect of a megacasino coming to their neighborhood, they mostly responded positively.<\/p>\n

Jamal, who works as a parking attendant in Citi Field, was excited about the prospects. \u201cI\u2019ve been working here for many years, when Shea Stadium was around [it was demolished in 2008], and other than baseball day games, there\u2019s nothing to do around here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis won\u2019t only bring more visitors to the area; it will also bring jobs. You see all the housing projects that are coming up?\u201d he said, while pointing to a construction site across the street to the east of the stadium. \u201cThere will be jobs for the people who will live here.\u201d<\/p>\n

When I asked about potential traffic and parking challenges, Jamal didn\u2019t seem concerned. \u201cOn game day, parking and traffic are always busy. Traffic is just something we live with as New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nWatch a short video of this entry in Inside America\u2019s Casinos.
\nCurrent site status<\/p>\n

When I got there, I noticed some work going on in the remote parking lots west of Citi Field. However, just a few pieces of heavy machinery were breaking curbs and clearing pavement, nothing more. I was told that infrastructure work and full-scale construction are planned to begin soon.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/p>\n

Minor construction work near Citi Field (CDC Gaming)<\/p>\n

Construction timelines<\/p>\n

A mega project like this will take years to build in an open accessible site, let alone near Citi Field, where the surrounding area is densely populated with narrow streets, busy roads, and subway overhead lines. I\u2019m no construction expert, but I think the June 2030 opening date is pretty ambitious. I hope I\u2019m proven wrong, but having seen the current status of the site (a few diggers, some traffic cones, and broken pavement in a remote parking lot), I think many unforeseen challenges will push back the ribbon-cutting.<\/p>\n

Limited space<\/p>\n

It is possible that developers are also overly optimistic about the space. This will be a huge complex, 50 acres, of which 20 will be a public park. It\u2019s hard to tell where that leaves room for parking and infrastructure and how the area will handle traffic and crowds, especially on game days.<\/p>\n

The plans include 13,750 parking spots above and below ground, an addition of 6,000 to the 7,750 surface spaces that now surround Citi Field. But a 25,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium is also being built right across the road, along with a multi-story housing project. There\u2019s also the US Open tennis event for three weeks every year, which has priority access to the same parking spots.<\/p>\n

Promising numbers<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Park is set to become one of the largest casinos in the region, estimated to generate $3.9 billion in annual revenue, $850 million in yearly tax contributions, and to create over 6,000 permanent jobs (in addition to the tens of thousands of jobs during construction). Despite the challenges and risks, the rewards are also massive. This isn\u2019t just an epic gaming play; it\u2019s an economic one as well.<\/p>\n

Site #2: Resorts World<\/p>\n

After finishing my visit to Citi Field, I went from Flushing to Jamaica to visit Queens\u2019s second casino site. Unlike Metropolitan Park, a site planned for a future casino, Resorts World New York City is an existing casino with previously limited gaming operations that has been in operation for 15 years, and as its website says, for the time being, it\u2019s the only casino in New York City.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/p>\n

Times Square Casino, the ground gaming floor at Resorts World New York City. (CDC Gaming)<\/p>\n

Site and surrounding area<\/p>\n

Resorts World NYC is located next to Aqueduct Racetrack, which is owned by the state of New York and operated by the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Resorts World, privately owned by Genting, is about 50 yards from the racetrack and sits on land leased from the state-owned racetrack site. Unlike Citi Field, the racetrack and casino are separated from residential areas by an overground trainline and major highways.<\/p>\n

What the locals say<\/p>\n

When I walked out toward Rockaway Blvd. and asked residents whether the casino affected them, reactions were generally positive. \u201cThe casino and racetrack have pretty big parking lots, which are used only for them,\u201d said Rubio Gonzalez, a local resident. \u201cYeah, sometimes there\u2019s traffic coming in and out, especially during weekends when races are on and many people go to the casino also. But it doesn\u2019t bother us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others, however, weren\u2019t as positive. \u201cI don\u2019t like the casino being here,\u201d said Tom, a worker at a nearby restaurant. \u201cIt brings bad influence to the neighborhood. Think about young people who don\u2019t have jobs; they\u2019re bored, so they go to gamble because it\u2019s close by.\u201d<\/p>\n

The casino<\/p>\n

Many people confuse Resorts World\u2019s current status as a racino containing slots within the Aqueduct racetrack\u2019s facility. However, this is far from the case. To get to the casino, you have to exit the racetrack and walk about 50 yards to enter a completely different venue. Unlike the racetrack, which looks a bit worn and is more of a public\/communal facility, the marble-clad lobby (which serves the casino and the adjacent Hyatt Regency hotel) offers a more high-end experience.<\/p>\n

The gaming floor itself is impressive. Spanning about 330,000 square feet and currently hosting 6,500 slots and electronic table games, Resorts World\u2019s casino is divided into the Times Square area on the first floor, which, as the name suggests, is designed to offer a more fun, high-energy atmosphere. I felt it right away as the slots and electronic table games were clustered together, surrounded by bars and food options. It had a very social, friendly vibe.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/p>\n

Current electronic table games will be replaced by up to 800 tables hosted by live dealers. (CDC Gaming)<\/p>\n

I then continued to the Fifth Avenue area on the second floor, which offers a much more refined, upscale, gambling experience. The second floor was much quieter, probably because of the higher-limit slots. The wide spaces and floor layout also offered a more private experience, rather than the party downstairs.<\/p>\n

The biggest, and possibly sole, thing that didn\u2019t make me feel like I was in a full-fledged casino was the absence of live table games. As regulation currently doesn\u2019t allow table games with live dealers, Resorts World offers electronic table games, hosted by virtual dealers on screens. Although dealers followed my movement around the tables and greeted me as I sat to play, it still felt like I was interacting with an avatar, worlds apart from the personal experience I have with human dealers when I sit to play at other casinos. Still, the tables were full of players who were interacting with one another.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nExpansion plans<\/p>\n

Following the recent approval of a full casino license, Resorts World NYC is undergoing a major transformation to become a complete casino facility, adding hundreds of table games hosted by live dealers. A $5 billion plan was already approved to upgrade the venue, expanding the casino floor to 350,000 square feet in the first phase and, in the longer term (expected around 2030), transforming it into a megaresort with a gaming floor of up to 500,000 square feet.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/p>\n

A scale model of Resorts World\u2019s plans for their Queens casino (CDC Gaming)<\/p>\n

Upwards of 250 table games are planned to be added initially, adding 150 more shortly thereafter. So, although slot machine numbers will remain relatively constant, the casino expects to have up to 800 table games at the final stage.<\/p>\n

Resorts World announced plans to be the first casino in New York City and the first to offer live-dealer tables. It is backing its announcements with concrete actions. As I walked into the lobby, one of the first things I noticed was a very busy hall full of people huddling around about a dozen game tables of different kinds. But I noticed they weren\u2019t gambling. The sign on the door made it clear to me; it read \u201cDealer School.\u201d<\/p>\n

Final thoughts<\/p>\n

Between traffic cones, a few pieces of heavy machinery, and many ambitions rising on the Citi Field parking lot and the already-buzzing gaming floor at Resorts World, it\u2019s clear that the New York City casino race is already happening.<\/p>\n

Each of these proposals has its own unique vision: one tied to the energies of a surrounding community and a major league ballpark, the other looking to transform its existing gaming operation from a local casino to a Vegas-style megaresort. I didn\u2019t make it to the Bronx, but the Bally\u2019s Bronx casino proposal adds another dimension to the gambling race.<\/p>\n

A lot will still depend on final zoning and licensing issues, objections, and unforeseen challenges and delays. But after walking around these sites, I can safely say that the ship has set sail. New York City is on its way to becoming one of the most prominent casino destinations in the country. It won\u2019t happen overnight, but the momentum is there and I don\u2019t think it can be stopped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Join CDC Gaming as we embark upon a road trip Inside America\u2019s Casinos. We embark on our journey…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":194180,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[9,24,55,54,56],"class_list":{"0":"post-194179","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-new-york-city-headlines","11":"tag-new-york-city-news","12":"tag-ny"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=194179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/194180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=194179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=194179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=194179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}