Eight Casino Groups Submit NYC License Applications Ahead of Deadline

Eight big names, among which we find MGM’s Empire City and Bally’s New York, have applied for the three NYC gambling licenses. To be considered, applicants had to submit their applications before June 27, 2025.

This competitive process represents access to a possible $4.4 billion annual gambling market in the largest American City. What we have so far are legislative and political developments stretching back to 2013, with a constitutional amendment that permitted commercial casinos in New York. Now, the doors are finally being opened.

The Contenders And Their Proposals

Let the games begin. Eight bidders – as expected – all vying for an incredibly lucrative gaming license. The state will issue up to three. This kickstarts a community approval process and there will be public hearings this summer. pic.twitter.com/fywkdkUjls

— Courtney Gross (@courtneycgross) June 27, 2025

The eight proposals are spread across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Yonkers. Each group has presented unique plans, promising new jobs, housing, and community benefits.

Manhattan Projects

1. Freedom Plaza (UN site): Soloviev Group and Mohegan have put forward a $11.1 billion proposal. It will have an underground casino below a five-acre public plaza, 1,250 rooms and hotel space, and over 1,000 residential units (of which 513 will be affordable units). They’ve agreed to give 2% of annual gaming revenues to housing and employee development initiatives.
2. Avenir (near Javits Center): Silverstein Properties, Rush Street Gaming, and Greenwood Gaming submitted a $7 billion proposal with a 785-foot tower that has a 1,000-room Hyatt hotel, entertainment space, and food hall. They’re planning to redevelop the adjacent vacant office buildings into 2,000 apartments.
3. Caesars Palace Times Square: Caesars Entertainment, SL Green, Roc Nation, and Live Nation are planning to redevelop an existing office tower into a casino with a 992-room hotel and a Nobu-branded boutique facility.

Queens Projects

Here, we only have two. One is the Resorts World Expansion (Aqueduct), where Genting Group plans to develop a $5 billion expansion of their existing racino with 2,000 hotel rooms, 350,000-square-foot casino space, 7,000-seat arena, and 30 restaurants.

The second one is the Metropolitan Park (Citi Field), where Hard Rock International and Mets owner Steve Cohen have proposed an $8 billion plan to redevelop 50 acres of parking lots into an entertainment complex. It will include a Hard Rock hotel, music venue, food hall, public athletic fields, and 450 units of affordable housing.

Other Boroughs and Yonkers

1. Empire City Casino (Yonkers): MGM is planning a $2.3 billion expansion with table games, three new restaurants, a 5,000-seat concert space, and a high-limit gaming centre, opening mid-2029.
2. Bally’s Bronx (Port Ferry): Bally’s plans redevelopment of the former Trump Links golf course into a casino-hotel resort with spa, 2,000-seat events centre, and retail, for an estimated $4 billion.
3. The Coney (Brooklyn): Thor Equities Group and Chickasaw Nation have offered a $3.4 billion development to redevelop Coney Island as a year-round resort with a casino, 500-room hotel, and designated space for local businesses.

Community Response and Political Challenges

Casino operator Caesars Entertainment (CZR) and office REIT SL Green (SLG) officially submitted their proposal for a Times Square casino license – one of several applications for one of three available licenses to operate a downtown NYC casino.

The proposal calls for the… pic.twitter.com/hP7yuLp59q

— Hoya Capital 🏙️ (@HoyaCapital) June 30, 2025

The casino proposals have been causing quite an uproar in New York City. People are actually fairly divided on the matter. Optimists, including some construction unions and hospitality workers, are upbeat about the potential for new employment opportunities and investment.

For instance, Billy Kelly, a plumber from the Bronx, thinks it’s a wonderful prospect for construction workers, guessing that it could mean three years of consistent work.

Conversely, some individuals from Manhattan are resisting. Some local residents and state senators are warning that bringing casinos into the area would increase traffic jams and damage small businesses, particularly in the busy theatre district.

The No Times Square Casino Coalition cries out in protest that the existence of a casino would harm Broadway shows and bring new challenges to residents. Caesars Palace Times Square counters that, actually, their plan would be good for the theatre business by purchasing large blocks of tickets and helping with neighbourhood protection.

In another local issue, Bally’s faced tough resistance from a Bronx board but ultimately won important legislative support for their application.

Community Advisory Committees (CACs) will be at the centre of the process. The local members making up these committees will be required to review the proposals, hold public hearings, and vote by September 30.

Note that every casino proposal will require a two-thirds majority to go ahead. This policy ensures the residents of the community can actually hear them and have a say in what is going to happen.

Vicki Been, the Board Chair, emphasised that this plan gives communities a chance to participate meaningfully while allowing serious applicants to compete fairly.

Get More Details Here

• New York Times: For Casino Operators, It’s Deadline Day – The New York Times
• Bloomberg: NYC’s $4.4 Billion Casino Battle Now Lies With Gambling Skeptics
• NY1: Eight bids submitted for NYC casino licenses
• @CourtneyCGross on X
• HoyaCapital’s post on X