NYC to Get in the Gambling Game?

New York may have a casino in Vegas, but it has never had one in...New York. Well, not in quite some time -- though it is documented that there were casinos on Broadway in SoHo in the early 1800s (and of course in the 1900s there were places like Chumley's that secretly served as gambling dens). To legally gamble within city limits these days you only have a couple of options: OTB or the NY State Lottery.

Fear not compulsive gamblers, the Daily News is reporting that a Native American tribe is bidding to build and run a $1.4 billion gaming palace at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.

The last-minute proposal may be a long shot, but the Shinnecock Indians are hoping to entice the city and state with the prospect of a half-billion dollars in revenue a year.

The tribe also is dangling another sweetener: a promise to drop its fight to build a casino on its ancestral lands in Southampton, which has roiled the playground of the rich and powerful.

The bid will be submitted today and the proposal is way more enticing than the others coming in (which propose a video lottery facility). The Shinnecock envision something closer to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun -- with slots, gaming tables and a hotel. Such an endeavour would be met with many obstacles (needing to be federally recognized as a tribe, for one) but if they play their cards right New York could finally get in on all that gaming revenue currently going to Jersey and Connecticut...or at least an organized crime family and some politicians will make out pretty well.

Photo of Shinnecock proposal via The Daily News.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on October 15, 2007 11:05 AM

Comments [rss]

MarygraceNYC

The traffic getting to JFK would be impossible.

They would have to do all sorts of environmental impact studies. I personally would poll all of the home owners in the area that would be impacted to see if they were OK with it first. But we all know that it never about the people. Just about the $$$ money $$$. Sad.

TKaisen

Can anyone explain to me why these places are legal when NA's build them but illegal if some private investor wanted to?

Can we just legalize gambling in the state already? Turning Stone is a hole

Monster_mash

As long as it siphons slot-pullers from the lameass casinos they've planned to ruin the Catskills with.

TK

Will I be able to smoke inside or otherwise buy cigs w/o the heavy excise taxes?

kultur

Shinycock Indians - oh my!

amsci

I grew up in South Ozone and I'm kinda torn about this. Aqueduct is pretty skeevy for sure, and it would be nice to see something going on there other than the Flea Market (which sucks now).

On the other hand, would it really revitalize the area? In AC, when you start walking away from the casinos it starts getting sketchy pretty quickly.

I'm also a stick in the mud who fears change, so there's that too. ;)

Maybe "My Mother's Place" could set up a big glitzy store in the casino!

matty

at least they made it subway accessible. now the old and handicapped can get there with no problems.

Ace

I'm not going to argue with you Boho. How do the other readers feel?

Reality Czech

This will be so corrupt it will make the NYPD look clean.

There are plenty of loser morons out there waiting to get there gambling addiction fix.

Good thing the government, which bans tobacco smoking and trans fats, has the good will of the citizens in mind. (sarcasm)

Typical bullshit. Just legalize marijuana already.

latb

Ace, have you been to Ozone Park? My guess is (and maybe I'm wrong but...) no.

If so, how exactly is it possible to "destroy" a neighborhood already mostly known for John Gotti, a crappy racetrack and being next to JFK Airport?

A casino might actually turn the place into an attraction, bringing money into the community and providing jobs in an already relatively down and out neighborhood.

Ace

Gambling for Queens is a bad idea. Crime will increase 100 percent. Half of those "12,000" jobs will be minimum wage. This will destroy Queens and will contribute to the impoverishment of many.

Nothing says corruption better than a Casino.

I think to get this passed there has to be a voting referendum. I vote Nay.