On Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, and according to the Albany Business Review in Albany, N.Y., New York State’s Gaming Facility Location Board has set a tentative date of Dec. 17, 2014 to determine where casino licenses will be awarded in Upstate New York.
According to the Albany Business Review report, Lee Park, a spokesman for the location board, made the aforementioned statement following a meeting of the regulatory board that will govern the casinos once they are open.
Applications reviewed by the board were proposals for four destination gaming resorts in Upstate New York; at least one facility in each of three regions: Capital, Catskills/Hudson Valley, and the Eastern Southern Tier – which Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. is a part of.
According to the selection committee in a release earlier in the year, there will be no more than two facilities in any of the three regions, and tribal casinos will retain their geographical exclusivity.
They added, at that time, that gaming facilities would either be entirely new resorts or a conversion of existing New York racinos.
In the Southern Tier of New York, Traditions at the Glen applied to transform their Johnson City facility into the Traditions Resort and Casino that would include gaming; Jeff Gural and Tioga Downs Racetrack LLC, who worked to get the Proposition that would allow casino gaming on the ballot for voters also applied, and has already started expansions to include their newly opened parking garage.
In Seneca County, Lago Resort and Casino / Wilmot Casino and Resort by Wilmorite, Inc. is also vying for a Southern Tier License.
To view details of the proposals and applications, visit www.gaming.ny.gov/.
