Lawmakers push to speed up NYC casino licenses timetable: 'We're leaving $2B on the table'

Published

1 year ago

May 20, 2024

admin

Two state lawmakers say it’s time to roll the dice on awarding casino licenses in the New York City area and are backing a bill that would speed up the current much-criticized timetable.

Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon) are pushing a proposed law in the waning days of the state legislative session that would require bids to be submitted by July 31 of this year and the gaming commission to approve the three casino licenses by March 31 of next year.

The state gaming commission recently announced that the casino licenses wouldn’t be awarded until Dec. 31, 2025, triggering denunciations including from a top Sands casino official who wants to open a gaming facility at the Nassau Coliseum hub in Uniondale, LI.

Some industry sources say the more drawn-out timetable benefits bidders facing political resistance or ongoing zoning or land-use issues.

Those bidders include Mets owner Steve Cohen, whose hope is to build an $8 billion casino and entertainment complex next to Citi Field in Queens, and the Related Companies/Caesars, which is proposing a $12 billion casino/office tower complex in Hudson Yards in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, sources say theproposed faster time frame boosts the chances of existing slots parlors — Resorts World at Aqueduct race track and MGM Empire City at Yonkers raceway — who want to obtain a license.

Both entities already have facilities and would merely have to expand to offer live card table games.

Addabbo and Pretlow insist they’re not putting their thumb on the scale to favor anyone.

They said they just want to accelerate the timetable to generate thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in additional revenue for the state.

“It’s taking too long. There are inefficiencies,” said Addabbo, whose district borders Genting’s Resorts World slots parlor at Aqueduct in Queens.

“We have to move. There are 5,000 jobs on hold — minimally,” he said.

Each of the bidders would pay the state an up front license fee of at least $500 million.

The pol noted that the language in the measure would give a winning bidder two years to figure out any land-use or other legal problems — though it’s an open question whether locally appointed siting boards would recommend any bid to the gaming commission that has outstanding issues.

Cohen, for example, needs the state legislature to approve a bill to redesignate the vacant lots around Citi Field from parkland to commercial use for his proposed casino to be built.

State Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), who represents the Willets Point area where the proposed casino would be located, has refused to introduce the bill or back the project, at least up till now.

“I’ve been trying to get the process moving,” said Pretlow, whose district is near the Yonkers racino. “It’s taking too long. We’re leaving $2 billion on the table.

“Why are we stringing this along? We’re spinning our wheels here.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who oversees the gaming commission, was non-committal over whether to speed up the casino licensing process.

Governor Hochul will review all legislation that passes both houses of the legislature,” a spokesman told The Post.

The governor is up for re-election in 2026.

Other casino plans include SL Green/Caesars/Roc Nation bid for Times Square, Ballys at Ferry Point in The Bronx, Silverstein Properties in Hells Kitchen, and the Thor Equity consortium gaming facility complex along the Coney Island boardwalk.

Entertainment

Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin

Published

13 mins ago

July 17, 2025

admin

Tomorrowland: 'Devastating' blaze destroys main stage at major festival - two days before it was due to begin

A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.

Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.

Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.

The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.

It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.

Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.

The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.

The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.

Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.

“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”

Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.

Politics

PM criticised over ‘appalling’ decision to suspend four Labour MPs

Published

13 mins ago

July 17, 2025

admin

Starmer suspends four Labour MPs for breaches of party discipline

Sir Keir Starmer has suspended four MPs for repeated breaches of party discipline.

Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell have lost the whip, meaning they are no longer part of Labour’s parliamentary party and will sit as independent MPs.

The suspension is indefinite pending a review.

Three other MPs have had their trade envoy roles removed: Rosena Allin Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin.

Politics latest: Suspended MPs defend their voting record

All seven had voted against the government’s welfare reforms earlier this month. However, it is understood this is not the only reason behind the decision, with sources citing “repeated breaches of party discipline”.

More than 100 MPs had initially rebelled against the plan to cut personal independent payments (PIP). Ultimately, 47 voted against the bill’s third reading, after it was watered down significantly in the face of defeat.

Ms Maskell was one of the lead rebels in the welfare revolt, and has more recently called for a wealth tax to fund the U-turn.

The York Central MP has spoken out against the government on a number of other occasions since the election, including on winter fuel and cuts to overseas aid.

Confirming the suspension, Ms Maskell told Sky News that she “doesn’t see herself as a rebel” but “somebody that is prepared to fulfil (her) role here of holding the executive to account and speaking truth to power”.

She stopped short of criticising the decision, saying: “I hold my hand out to the prime minister and hope he takes that and wants to reach back because I think it’s really important that we work together.”

Ms Maskell was first elected in 2015, while the other suspended MPs were newly elected last year.

Mr Hinchliff, the MP for North East Hertfordshire, has proposed a series of amendments to the flagship planning and infrastructure bill criticising the government’s approach.

Mr Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, led a rebellion against the cut to the winter fuel payments while Alloa and Grangemouth MP Mr Leishman has been critical of the government’s position on Gaza.

Suspended Labour MPs clearly hit a nerve with Starmer

Tamara Cohen

Political correspondent

@tamcohen

After a tricky few weeks for the government, in which backbenchers overturned plans to cut back welfare spending, now a heavy hand to get the party into line.

All four suspended MPs appear to be surprised – and upset.

Three more have lost plum roles as trade envoys – all on the left of the party.

All were active in the rebellion against the government’s welfare reforms, and voted against the changes even after a series of U-turns – but were among 47 Labour MPs who did so.

When MPs were told after the welfare vote that Number 10 was “fully committed to engaging with parliamentarians”, this was not what they were expecting.

We’re told the reasons for these particular suspensions go wider – over “persistent breaches of party discipline” – although most are not high profile.

In the scheme of things, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell rebelled against the Labour whip hundreds of times under New Labour, without being suspended.

But these MPs’ pointed criticism of the Starmer strategy has clearly hit a nerve.

Read Tamara’s analysis in full here

‘Couldn’t support making people poorer’

Mr Duncan-Jordan told Sky News that he understood speaking out against benefit cuts would “come at a cost” but said he “couldn’t support making disabled people poorer”.

Mr Leishman echoed that sentiment, saying: “I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”

Both said they remain committed to the Labour Party and its values, suggesting they have no plans to join the new party being set up by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ousted MP Zarah Sultana.

Similarly Mr Hinchliff said in a brief statement: “I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP and I hope in time to return to the Labour benches.”

The suspensions will be seen as an attempt to restore discipline ahead of the summer recess following a number of rebellions that has forced the government into U-turns.

As well as watering down the welfare bill, some cuts to the winter fuel payment have been reversed, leaving Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a fiscal blackhole to fill.

However, the move risks creating further divisions with a number of Labour MPs criticising the decision.

Starmer ‘rolling out the carpet to Reform’

Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said he was “appalled” by the suspensions as he and 44 others voted against welfare cuts.

He said this isn’t the first time the Starmer leadership has “punished MPs for standing up for what’s right”, as he and six others were suspended last year for voting against the two-child benefit cap.

“These decisions don’t show strength. They are damaging Labour’s support and risk rolling out the red carpet for Reform,” he added.

Richard Burgon, who was also temporarily suspended in the two-child benefit cap revolt, said he had hoped the leadership would take a different approach to backbenchers.

“Sadly, it isn’t yet doing so. To help stop a Reform government, it really must do so,” he said.

Jon Trickett, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, said “it’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled”, adding: “Solidarity with the suspended four.”

World