Governor Cuomo Gambles On Gambling At State Of The State

Cuomo tells the movers where to put the slot machines during his speech today (AP)

Governor Andrew Cuomo gave his State of the State today, vowing to make 2012 the year "we must transform our government to once again become the progressive capital of our nation." He proposed a $1 billion economic development package for Buffalo, which has the third-highest poverty rate in the country, abolishing the state's requirements for fingerprinting food stamp recipients, deemed himself the "student's lobbyist," and pitched a slew of environmental and energy improvements. But Cuomo was also mum about transportation, spoke glowingly of legalizing gambling, declined to read his brief remarks on hydraulic fracturing, and announced an ambitious plan to build the world's largest convention center at the Aquaduct Racetrack.

“The State of New York’s public transit is poor,” Transportation Alternatives' executive director Paul White notes in a release responding to the governor's speech. "New Yorkers are losing affordable public transit options because of the fare hikes and service cuts that are the result of a chronic lack of transit funding." According to White, Cuomo, who spoke at length about improving infrastructure and creating jobs, "largely ignored the biggest job-creator of all: public transit."

If Cuomo said little about transportation and hydrofracking, he spoke at length about "gaming" in New York State:

When it comes to gaming, we have been in a state of denial. It's time we confronted reality. It's not a question of whether we should have gaming in New York -- the fact is we already do. Native Americans have five casinos in New York and we have nine racinos at our racetracks. We don't fully realize it, regulate it, or capitalize on it, but we have gaming.

Citing the $1 billion in "economic activity" that legalized gambling in New York would supposedly net, and how the state is losing it to other states and terrirories, Cuomo urged that Albany "amend the Constitution so that we can do gaming right." Indeed! Look at Atlantic City. Initially it was a slum by the sea. "Now it's a slum by the sea with casinos."

But Cuomo's biggest announcement was the $4 billion convention center and hotel/casino complex that would replace the Javits Center on the Upper West Side. "New York needs a larger, state-of-the-art venue to be competitive for the largest tradeshows and conventions," Cuomo said. In its place, will be a "new 21st Century neighborhood for the West Side" courtesy of an expected grant of $2 billion.

The new ~~money pit~~ convention center would be operated by Genting Group of Malaysia, which currently operates the racino there, and is slated to be 3.8 million square feet—smaller than the Mall of America but bigger than the current-largest convention center in Chicago. So, take that, deep-dish losers. No word on whether Cuomo plans to invite a Prozac factory to open up near the new convention center.

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By Christopher Robbins in News on January 4, 2012 6:13 PM

Comments [rss]

scoooter

The only reason to build a convention center out there would be as payback for the special interests who donate to all these corrupt greedy politicians. Its a freaking boondoggle.Who in their right mind wants to travel from anywhere to go to a convention in Ozone Park? Does he really think they are going to come here for the casino when they can go to Vegas and have the restaurants and shows and shopping at their fingertips in addition to the hotels and casinos?
Oh and who do you think is going to get preferred treatment and tax breaks and subsidies for building on the west side where Javits is now? What a joke.The rape of our country, state, and city continues.I hope I live to see the day that all of these crooks get the treatment they deserve.

DrSysz

Given how mobbed up the Javits project was back then it only makes sense to build the next one close to where the few remaining paisan wiseguys live...

Alex Drum

Hey man, anything that'll give western NY's economy a boost is cool with me - casinos, thunder domes, monorails, euthanizing the elderly; it's all gravy.

Don Corleone

First off, Power Point sucks. Every single presentation ever made with that awful product looks cheesy. Enough.

Second, Aqueduct Convention center? Are you serious?
How about fixing up what we already have - including the roads, bridges and subways.
Leave the Javits center alone too, put a fresh coat of paint and call it a day.

Let's build a dome over all five boros - a giant frickin dome, with heat. Yes, I like that idea better.

RobertMosesSupposesErroneously

I'm no gambler myself but I do NOT understand the problem people have with casinos. The moral ban on "the devil's games of chance" seems about as 17th century as criminalizing dancing.

Casino Grinder

The state would win some money but would also win many negative results.

Caffiend

I've been fighting against myself for asking this question, and I've wanted to know since Cuomo Jr. took office, but, seriously? Who the hell does his PowerPoint presentations?

GentleGiant

Who would want to hold a convention at Aqueduct? I'm sure Howard Beach and Ozone Park are lovely neighborhoods but if someone is going to come to NYC for a conference they want to be near where all the attractions are, not an hour's ride away on the A train.

McCormick Place is a five-minute cab ride from downtown Chicago, the Orange County Convention Center is within easy driving distance of Disney, Sea World and Universal Studios; the Las Vegas CC is a mile away from the Strip. What restaurants, museums, shops and shows are within 15 minutes travel time from Aqueduct?

Kevin Bracken

How about anybody who lands at JFK and doesn't want to make the schlep into the city? Would be a good spot for concerts and festivals too.

GentleGiant

People come to New York because they want to experience the big city. In addition to whatever conference they are attending they also want to take in a Broadway show, see MoMA, walk through Times Square, and eat fancy food an expensive restaurant that doesn't exist in their town. A convention center at Aqueduct only makes sense if it is used to attract locals - events like the boat or car shows- not high-spending out-of-town attendees.

"Tim Osman"

All good points you are making. I seriously doubt anyone would want to hold a convention at the Aqueduct. Adding to what you said the highways around there are consistently some of the most clogged and delayed in NYC. I can't imagine we should take Cuomo at face value on this, maybe he is trying to push ahead a renovation and expansion of the Javits Center much like the Yankees threatening to leave the city to get what they want?

"Tim Osman"

Since when is the Javits Center located in the Upper West Side?

virgilstarkwell

as an aside, does anyone know where i can get 2 for 1 tickets to off-broadway shows... for maybe the first couple of weeks in february?