Rochester Business Journal
Hobart and William Smith Colleges President Mark Gearan will chair the state commission that will decide where four non-Indian casinos will be located in Upstate New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
Cuomo, during his annual State of the State Address in Albany, cited Gearan’s breadth of experience as the reason for his appointment to the New York State Gaming Commission position.
Gearan was appointed president of the Geneva, Ontario County, college in 1999. A native of Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard University cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. He earned a law degree at Georgetown University.
Along with being a college president, Gearan’s credentials include being director of the Peace Corps and deputy chief of staff and special assistant to President Bill Clinton.
The four new casinos are targeted for the Catskills, the Southern Tier and the Albany area. As many as three more casinos could be built in subsequent years as part of a referendum passed in November by New York voters.
Requests for proposals are expected to be issued in March, Cuomo said. Responses will be due in June, with specific sites selected in early fall.