Gaming Today
Empire City Casino General Counsel Tim Rooney, Jr. recently hosted a media tour to give an update on the nearly-completed $50 million casino expansion to Empire City in Yonkers, New York. The casino is the largest private employer in Yonkers with nearly 1,200 employees. Expansion plans began in July 2011.
Designed by Studio V of New York City, the 66,000 square-foot expansion includes a new casino entrance featuring a high-tech porte-cochère and 300-foot curved glass wall, a 30,000 square-foot modern gaming floor crowned by a contemporary art piece featuring the NYC skyline crafted of nails, and two new restaurants – Dan Rooney’s Café & Bar and Pinch. The expansion allows Empire City to reconfigure its present gaming layout with the relocation of nearly 700 of its existing 5,380 slot machines.
The expansion has created more than 100 construction jobs, and ultimately 200 permanent jobs when complete, giving a shot in the arm to regional economic development. Empire City has generated $1.6 billion in funds for education in New York State since opening its doors as a casino in October 2006.