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Resorts World Hudson Valley, a casino inside a New York mall, is set to open on Dec. 28.
The 50,000-square-foot facility is located inside an old Bon-Ton department store in Newburgh, NY. The casino will feature 1,200 slot machines, 82 electronic table games and a NY sports betting lounge. The casino also announced the hiring of 250 employees.
Speaking with CBS News-New York, Meghan Taylor, VP of Resorts World New York, said:
“The infrastructure that’s built inside of these malls is really fantastic, and if we can figure out a way to adaptively re-use them, it’ll be better off for everybody.”
Doors will officially open to the public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28.
A new economic driver for the community
According to Taylor, since the NY casino is located in an existing structure, construction costs were low, allowing designers to focus on “interior finishes” to reflect the Hudson Valley surroundings.
Glendalie Cruz, the beverage manager for Resorts World New York, said she looks forward to seeing how the casino affects surrounding businesses.
“I think more stores and restaurants will park themselves over here, and I think there’s going to be more opportunities for this mall,” Cruz said.
“We’re going to give them more business not only for ourselves, but for the community.”
Resorts World employee and Newburgh native Renee Goldman said the New York shopping mall had seen better days.
“It kind of went downhill. It was almost ready to fold, the mall,” Goldman said.
Priority jobs were given to area residents, according to a statement from Resorts World. Additionally, part of the casino deal includes a $3 million yearly fee.
Problem gaming is still a concern
With the expansion of gambling comes the fear of increased compulsive gambling.
Colleen Jones of the New York Council on Problem Gaming said:
“Any time we see an increase in access and availability for something, there’s always the potential for more problems. We definitely have seen an increase in our calls across the state.”
Luckily, funding for addiction services will increase with the addition of a new casino.
