Mid-Hudson News

In the first six months of the year, $12.3 million in funding for state education has been generated by the electronic gaming at Monticello Casino and Raceway.

Charles Degliomini, executive vice president of Empire Resorts, the company that owns and operates the facility, said the average $2 million per month for education, covers the annual salaries of more than 30 teachers’ jobs.

“The money that we are contributing, over $12 million over the last six months is in conjunction with our partnership with the State of New York and the Division of the Lottery,” Degliomini said. “We are able, as Monticello Casino and Raceway, to contribute substantial revenues to New York State Education and we have been not only a significant source of funding, but a reliable one as well and we look forward to increasing that contribution by additional millions of dollars as we move our project forward at the Concord resort.”

Statewide, the New York Gaming Association members, who operate the state’s nine racetrack casinos, collectively generated over $67.5 million for education in the month of June alone. That translated into the equivalent to funding over 970 teaching jobs.