MGM Resorts presents Empire City casino vision ahead of NYC bidding process

Article by : Charles Perrin Dec 1, 2023

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MGM Resorts has unveiled an artist’s rendering of what the new Empire City casino will look like should it win a coveted New York City license.

The company is hoping to take a huge chunk out of the Big Apple and they are pinning their hopes on the overhaul of the Empire City complex.

Operating as a racino, should Empire City be successful with their application, its gaming floor will expand significantly  to house more slot machines and table games.

At the moment, Empire City offers 4,600 VLTs (video lottery terminals) and electronic table propositions covering 16,000 square feet, however other details have been rather sparse about how many more games may be included.

With three New York downstate casino licenses up for grabs, MGM Resorts has already made an early play, and they are confident that Empire City could be a “game changer”.

That is the unequivocal view of MGM Resorts president and chief executive officer Bill Hornbuckle.

He said: “MGM Resorts has a long and proud history of delivering world-class entertainment and gaming experiences, and we couldn’t be more excited to build on that track record at MGM Empire City.

“A full-scale casino and entertainment destination will provide unparalleled experiences, create thousands of jobs, boost the state’s economy, and be a game-changer for the entire region.”

The bidding process will begin in earnest next year, and the New York Gaming Facility will have the ultimate say on which casinos will be handed licenses.

Empire City, which was bought for $850million by MGM Resorts in 2019, is thought to be one of the frontrunners along with fellow racino Resorts World.

Should MGM Resorts receive one of the golden tickets, it will have to pay a one-time fee of $500m for the casino license, and spend at least an extra $500m on their resort projects.

MGM Resorts is certainly ambitious with its plans, and the Empire City overhaul would imitate many of its Las Vegas establishments.

Far from jumping the gun, MGM Resorts is trying to win over the hearts and minds of New York, and they will do all they can to obtain a casino concession.