NY Daily News excerpt -
After Queens casino deal falls apart, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz renews push for gambling in Coney Island
Beep says he's had preliminary talks with Cuomo administration officials
By David Ospino And Erin Durkin / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
It could be time to roll the dice on Coney Island.
After the collapse of talks with gaming giant Genting to create a casino and convention center in Queens, Borough President Marty Markowitz is stepping up his bid to get a casino at the seaside amusement mecca.
“It would be a tremendous thing for the future of Coney Island, and it’s the right place to put it,” said Markowitz, adding he’s had preliminary conversations with Cuomo administration officials.
A constitutional amendment to legalize gambling in the state passed the legislature once, but still has to pass again and then be approved by the voters. Seven casinos would be authorized around the state, and their locations would be set after the amendment was finalized.
Gov. Cuomo had been in talks with Genting, which currently runs the racino at Aqueduct, to build a $4 billion complex with the nation’s largest convention center and a casino resort. The company wanted exclusive rights to run a casino in the city.
But Cuomo said Friday that those talks had broken down for now.
“I don’t want to start talking about or...making commitments about where a casino may be or may not be,” Cuomo said this week, adding consideration would not be limited to the sites of current racinos. “It should be an open competition.”
The Queens proposal had drawn skepticism from critics who thought the location was too far flung.
Backers say a Coney casino would be a better bet because there are already other attractions that make the area a destination.
“There’s a whole host of reasons to make it a hub as opposed to one stand alone casino that’s the only action in town, and that’s what Coney Island has over all these other locations,” said Markowitz,.
After the collapse of talks with gaming giant Genting to create a casino and convention center in Queens, Borough President Marty Markowitz is stepping up his bid to get a casino at the seaside amusement mecca.
“It would be a tremendous thing for the future of Coney Island, and it’s the right place to put it,” said Markowitz, adding he’s had preliminary conversations with Cuomo administration officials.
A constitutional amendment to legalize gambling in the state passed the legislature once, but still has to pass again and then be approved by the voters. Seven casinos would be authorized around the state, and their locations would be set after the amendment was finalized.
Gov. Cuomo had been in talks with Genting, which currently runs the racino at Aqueduct, to build a $4 billion complex with the nation’s largest convention center and a casino resort. The company wanted exclusive rights to run a casino in the city.
But Cuomo said Friday that those talks had broken down for now.
“I don’t want to start talking about or...making commitments about where a casino may be or may not be,” Cuomo said this week, adding consideration would not be limited to the sites of current racinos. “It should be an open competition.”
The Queens proposal had drawn skepticism from critics who thought the location was too far flung.
Backers say a Coney casino would be a better bet because there are already other attractions that make the area a destination.
“There’s a whole host of reasons to make it a hub as opposed to one stand alone casino that’s the only action in town, and that’s what Coney Island has over all these other locations,” said Markowitz,.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/queens-casino-deal-falls-brooklyn-borough-president-marty-markowitz-renews-push-gambling-coney-island-article-1.1091086#ixzz1x6O1ysjC
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