NYC Suburbs Excluded from Governor’s Racino Development Proposal

New York City’s northern suburbs will be out of the running for the state’s first three casinos, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal.

Cuomo proposed in his State of the State Address locating three casinos in upstate New York, hoping the gaming centers would drive traffic to economically struggling areas.

In his budget proposal this week, he defined upstate by excluding New York City, Long Island, as well as Westchester, Rockland and Putnam County.

New York currently operates nine racinos, many of which were hoping to develop into full casinos by adding table games.

The legislature last year passed a constitutional amendment allowing up to seven casinos in New York. In order to move forward, the state’s newly elected lawmakers must pass the amendment again, and voters must approve it in a referendum.

Cuomo said in his budget proposal he expects $150 million in revenue from casinos in 2016, 90 percent of which would go to education and 10 percent to local governments for tax relief.