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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Catskills Casinos Given the Thumbs Up For Development

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Casino gambling may soon come to the Catskill mountains
Casino gambling may soon come to the Catskill mountains
Monticello Raceway Management Inc. announced on Wednesday, April 2, that they had received a resolution of support from local lawmakers to go forth with their plans to build a casino in the area, according to a press release from the developers. The announcement was made just days after state regulators had said that bidders for the four upstate casino licenses must submit a resolution approved by the local legislative body indicating its support, Vosizneias reported.

The management group is hoping to build a $750 million casino resort in the area. Specifically, they want to break ground where the old Concord Hotel formerly stood. The Wall Street Journal reported that the proposed area of construction is roughly 90 miles northwest of New York City. Developers also told Vosizneias that the Town of Thompson Board voted in favor of supporting the application this past Tuesday night.

As the WSJ explained, applications for casinos need to be submitted by June 30 and selections are due this fall. This is a result of a constitutional amendment that was passed in New York last November that now allows for casinos to be built beyond the land of Indian reservations.

The Thompson Board discussed a host of factors that led to their approval. Some of the factors that led to their approval included obtaining the necessary approvals, plus “an extensive environmental review, opportunity for generation of high quality jobs and support from community groups, as well as the opportunity for economic development that Adelaar, with MRMI’s Gaming Facility, would bring to the Catskills,” according to the press release issued.

“We could not be more honored to have the support of the Town of Thompson for MRMI’s application. We continue to work hard to get the all the pieces in place to plan and execute a truly one-of-a-kind destination resort in the Catskills,” said Empire Resorts Executive Vice President Charles Degliomini.

“In addition to enabling MRMI to demonstrate to the Siting Board local support in fulfillment of this initial requirement of the RFA, today’s vote reinforces the fact that for more than three years we have been working closely with all stakeholders, including the Thompson Board to put forth a plan that we believe maximizes community involvement, creates thousands of jobs and provides real economic benefits for the region. We thank the Town of Thompson for its vote of confidence in Empire Resorts and EPR Properties.”

“Tonight’s vote validates our commitment to both the Town of Thompson and to Sullivan County,” EPR project manager Tim Lies said. “For the last several years, we have invested time, money and energy in coming up with a plan that will revitalize the local economy, create jobs and boost tourism. Having the support of the local community is integral to making this plan a reality and we are grateful that the Thompson Board believes in what we are proposing. We look forward to working with local stakeholders as the RFA process unfolds and continuing to detail our vision for Adelaar.”

The Thompson Board’s resolution noted other specifics that led to their approval, specifically that the casinos will lead to the promotion of Monticello as a tourist destination with the casinos, hotels and resorts that will spring up in the area to support the casinos. Furthermore, as the release noted, cultural arts in the area will be promoted and the project is also consistent with and advances regional planning initiatives. Furthermore, the Gaming Facility, is expected to have a significant positive impact on the Catskills Region.

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