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The wait is over.
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which was responsible for vetting and selecting three casino projects for downstate licenses, has chosen its winners: Hard Rock’s Metropolitan Park development next to Citi Field, Resorts World’s expansion of its existing gaming at Aqueduct Racetrack, and a Bally’s development in the Bronx.
The three NY downstate casino projects will now begin the licensing and construction process — a milestone that couldn’t come soon enough for state officials.
Community impact of the three NYC casino projects
A key bargaining point for each project was its potential impact on the surrounding communities. Here’s a look at what each development is expected to deliver:
Metropolitan Park: The plan will transform 25 acres of parking lot into a park and a Hard Rock casino. Thousands of union jobs are expected, with priority hiring for local residents. The project also includes a new mass transit station.
Resorts World: Developers say the expansion will create 100,000 construction, permanent, and indirect jobs. They expect the project to generate $5 billion in revenue for New York within four years of receiving a license.
Bally’s Bronx: The project is slated to create 15,000 union construction jobs and 4,000 permanent union jobs. Community benefits are valued at an estimated $625 million, and the development will fund $100 million in parkland improvements.
Which casino could become NYC’s standout?
Predicting the future is difficult, but based on scope and ambition, Hard Rock’s Metropolitan Park development appears positioned to become the standout of the three. Its sweeping overhaul of the parking lots around Citi Field would bring a dramatic transformation to the area, adding expansive green spaces and a modern casino. Hard Rock has also emphasized hiring residents, which has resonated with community leaders.
Timeline for the three NYC casino projects
Timelines for projects of this scale are hard to pin down. Still, with the state — and, to a degree, the national casino industry — watching closely, each developer has strong incentives to deliver on schedule.
Resorts World, as an expansion of an existing property, is slated to open first in March 2026. The Hard Rock and Bally’s casinos are expected to open in mid-2030, giving Resorts World a roughly four-year head start on generating revenue.
Next steps before NYC’s new casinos move forward
With the three projects selected, the New York State Gaming Commission must now approve the licenses. Each developer will also need to pay a $500 million license fee. The deadline for the commission to finalize approvals is Dec. 31.
