Daily Racing Form
By Matt Hegarty
A group representing New York racetrack-casino operators on Thursday released a study it funded purporting to measure the economic impact of casinos as part of a public-relations campaign to get table games legalized at their facilities.
The group, the New York Gaming Association, was formed in 2011 to push for casinos’ interests in New York. Recently, the group has been lobbying for support for the legalization of table games, which will likely need to be passed as a constitutional amendment.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has expressed support for the amendment. The report, prepared by the New York consulting group Appleseed on behalf of the association, credited the nine casinos in the association with generating $1.96 billion in economic impact and 17,400 direct and indirect jobs. Economic-impact studies are frequently used to bolster the credentials of groups seeking government help. Resorts World New York, the casino operated by Genting at Aqueduct, is a member of the association. In addition to table games,
Genting is currently seeking an agreement with the state in which it would build a convention center at Aqueduct in exchange for a higher cut from an expanded number of slot machines at its casino.