On Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, Governor Andrew Cuomo presented his “2015 Opportunity Agenda” at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. (Photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo)
On Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his ‘State of the State’ address in Albany, N.Y. that included an aggressive agenda surrounding education reforms, cutting small business taxes from 6.5 percent to 2.5 percent, passing property tax relief, raising the minimum wage to $10.50 statewide, and various other components to provide relief to New Yorker’s, restore economic opportunity, and to restore the public’s trust, among others.
Within the governor’s Agenda Policy Book, which can be viewed at www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/2015_Opportunity_Agenda_Book.pdf, he also addressed Gaming in New York, and the state’s goal with Proposition One to recapture dollars spent in neighboring states.
In fact, it was reported that the governor placed in the budget a projected $40 million in revenue for new skilled VLT (Video Lottery Terminal) games at racetrack racinos – a move that would help racinos compete with full casinos.
According to Gary A Greenberg, minority owner of Vernon Downs Hotel and Casino and gaming expert of Tioga Downs’ sister track, Vernon Downs in Vernon, N.Y., the move was nothing but a bone being thrown at racinos.
Greenberg recently stated, “Cuomo is throwing the racinos a bone. Racinos to casinos was the way to go. The process undertaken by New York State has left the racinos in limbo and the governor and gaming commission scrambling to make things right.”
The Gaming Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26 in Brooklyn, N.Y. with ‘Rules Pertaining to Gaming Facility Request for Application and Gaming Facility License Application (Re-Adoption)’ listed as an agenda item.
It is most likely that more information into the upcoming re-bid process for the Southern Tier area only will be revealed.
Tioga Downs, which subsidizes the Vernon Track, has already announced they will resubmit an application for the re-bid of the fourth license for the Southern Tier.
As for the governor’s new agenda policy, it can be viewed at the aforementioned website. You can also view a video of the presentation by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wda1W9q4D_E&feature=youtu.be.
