Well that was fast.
Resorts World New York will begin to offer gamblers table games on Tues., April 28, as long as the New York Gaming Commission signs-off after final tests are completed this week. The casino is confident enough that the testing will be fine that they already booked rapper Nas to cut the ribbon and throw the first ceremonial roll of the dice on a crap’s table.
The Queen’s casino will add more than 240 table games when it celebrates, including blackjack, craps, baccarat and roulette. Nas will be joined by “a who’s who of elected officials, community leaders and entertainers to kick off the action,” according to a press release.
Resorts World New York City, which is owned by Genting Group, was awarded one of three casino gambling licenses that were available to New York City and its boroughs. New York State’s Gaming Commission also awarded the $500 million licenses to Bally’s Corporation and a partnership with New York Mets owners Steve Cohen and Hard Rock in December.
Bally’s will build Ballys Bronx at Bally’s Golf Links, while the Cohen partnership presented plans to build Hard Rock Metropolitan Park near CitiField, where the Mets make their home. Resorts World plans include a $5.5 billion expansion that with a 7,000-seat arena and room for 800 gaming tables and 6,000 slot machines.
“New York City has never seen anything like what we’re planning for April 28. Once the Gaming Commission’s final testing is complete, live table games will be open and operating right here in Queens for the first time in the history of New York City,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East. “Resorts World now employees over 2,200 team members and have already doubled our workforce and expect thousands more team members as the integrated resort is developed over the next three years.”
Resorts World New York City was always one of the favorites to win one of the licenses because it has operated an enormous slots parlor since 2011.
