With Unanimous Approval Under SEQRA, New York City’s Only Casino Can Begin Expansion Immediately After Receiving a Commercial Casino License

Resorts World New York City has received its last major land use approval for its $5.5 billion vision to create an integrated resort at Aqueduct, ensuring work can immediately begin on this community-driven proposal if granted a commercial gaming license.

On Friday, the New York State Franchise Oversight Board voted 5-0 to accept the final environmental impact statement and finding statement for Resorts World’s next phase, which will ultimately create a 5.6-million-square foot destination just minutes from JFK Airport. This unanimous vote marked the final necessary approval to transform the 73-acre Aqueduct site, where Resorts World has operated as New York City’s only casino since 2011.

“This seal of approval from the Franchise Oversight Board means we can literally get to work a day after receiving a commercial gaming license,” said Robert DeSalvio, President of Genting Americas East. “We have made speed to market a priority to create the highest and best value for New Yorkers, whether it’s through jobs or revenue, and we’re living up to that promise. We are grateful to the State for this action, and we hope we can hit the ground running this December.”

Approval under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) came just days after Resorts World executives presented the vision for Aqueduct to its Community Advisory Committee. Joined by celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Scott Conant, the team laid out its proposed expansion, which has been developed over the last 15 years in partnership with the local community.

If granted a commercial gaming license by this December, Resorts World will have the ability to expand its operations as soon as July 2026. The permanent workforce will more than triple in that time, as visitors will be able to enjoy 4,000 slot machines and electronic table games as well as 250 live table games. Once completed, Resorts World will become the largest commercial casino in the United States with 6,000 slots and ETGs and 800 table games across a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor.

The integrated resort will also deliver a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena, hundreds of thousands of square feet of large-scale meeting space, a dozen acres of community park space, and 2,000 hotel rooms. Five-thousand union construction jobs will be created, alongside 5,000 permanent positions, with an expected 14,000 induced jobs coming online as a result.

Resorts World’s ability to transform its property right away will deliver new, incremental revenue to the State as soon as possible. This ability to expand operations within six months of licensure will allow Resorts World to more than double its current gross gaming revenue from the current $1 billion to $2.2 billion by 2027. The MTA alone is expected to receive $1 billion in fees and revenue generated at the integrated resort within the first five years of receiving a license.