Manhattan’s East River waterfront is being eyed as a location for a “Monte Carlo”-style on line casino that will instantly change into the world’s “hottest” gambling facility, its promoter says.
The deliberate East River on line casino submitted to the state Gaming Fee is the brainchild of Water Club restaurateur Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe and could be situated subsequent to the floating eatery off East thirtieth Avenue.
No less than 9 on line casino operators expressed curiosity to vie for 3 downstate on line casino licenses, in keeping with preliminary outlines submitted to the gaming fee.
It was not clear from O’Keeffe’s proposal who could be his associate to function the playing facet of issues.
He envisioned providing gamblers “basic” desk video games and no slot machines.
“Within the Borough of Manhattan, from river to river, that is probably the most viable location to position a smaller boutique (Monte Carlo) type on line casino that’s simply expandable,” O’Keeffe wrote in his proposal. “An upscale Monte Carlo type on line casino on the East Aspect, Mid-Manhattan, and really seen alongside the FDR Drive on the East River.”
The on line casino could be 24,000 sq. toes and would have a modest 100-car parking zone.
He mentioned 450 toes of “open deep water pier” could possibly be used to construct extra gaming facility house or “float in a customized on line casino.”
O’Keeffe, who additionally owns the waterfront River Cafe in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, additionally emphasised excessive rollers would have accessibility to the on line casino from the close by heliport and personal ferry service.
River playing is the best way to go, he mentioned.
“Constructing on the waterfront is way cheaper than constructing in Midtown Manhattan. It’s the best deal for the state and town to make, because it already exists, and is able to go,” O’Keeffe mentioned.
“New York, The World’s Capital, ought to have a stupendous and upscale on line casino (so possibly the following James Bond can play a hand of poker in New York),” he added. “One on line casino in Manhattan will find yourself as the most well liked on line casino on this planet.”
Among the many different on line casino operators who submitted proposals are MGM Resorts and Genting. MGM owns Empire Metropolis On line casino at Yonkers Raceway and Genting runs Resorts World at Aqueduct raceway.
Each operators could be focused on making use of for a license to transform their slots parlors into full-fledged casinos.
Others who submitted preliminary proposals: Bally’s, Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts, Exhausting Rock Worldwide, UE Resorts which operates the Okada on line casino in Manila; and Rush Avenue Gaming, which operates a on line casino in upstate Schenectady.
Elected officers and neighborhood teams have been additionally allowed to submit their enter on casinos.
There was sturdy opposition to a on line casino opening near Citi Field, the NY Mets residence in Flushing — together with from the influential Queens Civic Congress, a coalition of 60 neighborhood teams.
A latest examine carried out by the gaming fee estimated that opening three new downstate casinos — which embody the conversions of Aqueduct and Yonkers and opening a brand new on line casino in Manhattan — could generate between $420 million and $630 million in revenues per yr.
Operators and state officers hope that licenses could possibly be issued inside six months.
