KUALA LUMPUR: Even as lobbying goes on for a gaming licence in Miami, the Genting Group’s Resorts World Casino New York City (RWNY) is set to open in 10 days at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. The opening has been set for Oct 28, 1pm New York time (1am, Oct 29 here), according to information posted on the RWNY website.
The New York casino, with 5,000 gaming machines spread over two floors, will kick off with 2,485 video lottery terminals and electronic table games. The remainder are expected to be in place by Jan 1 next year, local daily the Saratogian reported last Friday.
The intention is to have the entire 700,000 sq ft development fully open by mid-December, just in time to capture the Christmas and New Year crowd, the Singapore Business Times (SBT) reported on Monday, quoting RWNY president Michael Speller.
An estimated US$5 billion (RM15.6 billion) a year leaves New York to casinos in the neighbouring states of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey, the SBT report said. One of RWNY’s two main target markets is the mid-level and VIP customers who have been travelling to casinos in other states, Speller said. The other is the 50 million plus passengers flying into the nearby John F Kennedy international airport every year, whose transit time could be as long as six to eight hours.
RWNY expects to generate as much as US$800 million a year in gaming revenue and in excess of US$300 million a year in tax revenue for the state of New York, the SBT report said, adding that the intention is to set aside 1% of pre-tax earnings for local community projects including education funds.
For a start, what is called the Times Square Casino on the first floor, which will open on Oct 28, will have at the heart of its gaming floor a bar and lounge with a theatre in the round for live music, comedy and other entertainment including Broadway-themed performances, the Saratogian report said. Apart from the 200-seat theatre, Bar 360 and Lounge will also broadcast live action from major sporting events via a 28ft by 18ft high-definition television screen — the biggest in Queens. Besides the Aqueduct buffet spread, a new food court featuring familiar local fare like Wolfgang Puck Express, Stage Deli and Queens Burger will also be opened.
A second casino floor — the 5th Avenue Casino and Crockfords Casino — will open later this year along with the 130,000 sq ft Central Park Events Center, reportedly set to be the largest event space in Queens. According to the RWNY website, the events centre has a capacity for 5,000 people, while another open-air venue can hold 10,000 people and is enough to host New York Fashion Week, the NYC Food, Wine Festival and Independence Day celebrations as well as summer concerts. Also to open on the second floor will be RW Prime Steakhouse and the Chinese-themed Genting Palace.
More importantly, a new covered sky bridge connecting Resorts World directly to the Aqueduct subway station “will be fully operational by end-2011”, earlier than the initial target of 2012, which is expected to greatly boost accessibility.
The project has created at least 1,350 jobs, RWNY’s Speller reportedly said. Previous press statements had highlighted that three massive construction bids were awarded to local Queens subcontractors — a factor that could help boost Genting’s case as it steps up lobbying for a full casino licence in Miami, Florida, where legislators are expected to hear a bill at its next sitting which begins on Jan 12 next year. More than one-third of construction sub-jobs at RWNY awarded to minority and women-owned business enterprises was also highlighted.
The Saratogian also quoted New York Racing Association president and CEO Charles Hayward as saying fatter purses from the opening will be a boon for the thoroughbred industry. Racetrack operator NYRA expects to rake in US$30 million next year alone, and is reportedly planning more than US$100 million worth of capital investments to improve the Saratoga Race Course over several years.
RWNY — with more than 4,500 slot machines and 475 electronic table games for everything from baccarat to roulette — is part of New York Lottery’s video lottery programme, where all gaming machines are supplied by Lottery and are controlled by a state-wide computer system also operated by Lottery.
This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, October 18, 2011.
The New York casino, with 5,000 gaming machines spread over two floors, will kick off with 2,485 video lottery terminals and electronic table games. The remainder are expected to be in place by Jan 1 next year, local daily the Saratogian reported last Friday.
The intention is to have the entire 700,000 sq ft development fully open by mid-December, just in time to capture the Christmas and New Year crowd, the Singapore Business Times (SBT) reported on Monday, quoting RWNY president Michael Speller.
An estimated US$5 billion (RM15.6 billion) a year leaves New York to casinos in the neighbouring states of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey, the SBT report said. One of RWNY’s two main target markets is the mid-level and VIP customers who have been travelling to casinos in other states, Speller said. The other is the 50 million plus passengers flying into the nearby John F Kennedy international airport every year, whose transit time could be as long as six to eight hours.
RWNY expects to generate as much as US$800 million a year in gaming revenue and in excess of US$300 million a year in tax revenue for the state of New York, the SBT report said, adding that the intention is to set aside 1% of pre-tax earnings for local community projects including education funds.
For a start, what is called the Times Square Casino on the first floor, which will open on Oct 28, will have at the heart of its gaming floor a bar and lounge with a theatre in the round for live music, comedy and other entertainment including Broadway-themed performances, the Saratogian report said. Apart from the 200-seat theatre, Bar 360 and Lounge will also broadcast live action from major sporting events via a 28ft by 18ft high-definition television screen — the biggest in Queens. Besides the Aqueduct buffet spread, a new food court featuring familiar local fare like Wolfgang Puck Express, Stage Deli and Queens Burger will also be opened.
A second casino floor — the 5th Avenue Casino and Crockfords Casino — will open later this year along with the 130,000 sq ft Central Park Events Center, reportedly set to be the largest event space in Queens. According to the RWNY website, the events centre has a capacity for 5,000 people, while another open-air venue can hold 10,000 people and is enough to host New York Fashion Week, the NYC Food, Wine Festival and Independence Day celebrations as well as summer concerts. Also to open on the second floor will be RW Prime Steakhouse and the Chinese-themed Genting Palace.
More importantly, a new covered sky bridge connecting Resorts World directly to the Aqueduct subway station “will be fully operational by end-2011”, earlier than the initial target of 2012, which is expected to greatly boost accessibility.
The project has created at least 1,350 jobs, RWNY’s Speller reportedly said. Previous press statements had highlighted that three massive construction bids were awarded to local Queens subcontractors — a factor that could help boost Genting’s case as it steps up lobbying for a full casino licence in Miami, Florida, where legislators are expected to hear a bill at its next sitting which begins on Jan 12 next year. More than one-third of construction sub-jobs at RWNY awarded to minority and women-owned business enterprises was also highlighted.
The Saratogian also quoted New York Racing Association president and CEO Charles Hayward as saying fatter purses from the opening will be a boon for the thoroughbred industry. Racetrack operator NYRA expects to rake in US$30 million next year alone, and is reportedly planning more than US$100 million worth of capital investments to improve the Saratoga Race Course over several years.
RWNY — with more than 4,500 slot machines and 475 electronic table games for everything from baccarat to roulette — is part of New York Lottery’s video lottery programme, where all gaming machines are supplied by Lottery and are controlled by a state-wide computer system also operated by Lottery.
This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, October 18, 2011.
