Gov. Cuomo’s Casino Plan Takes Shape

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday proposed authorizing three Las Vegas-style casinos in upstate New York, two video slot machine centers in western New York and an open-ended moratorium on casinos in New York City.

Cuomo’s proposal would allow casinos in three of six regions in the state, and the Catskills would be in the running. A commission appointed by Cuomo and state Legislature leaders would have a role in siting those casinos.

The Legislature’s session ends on June 20, and Cuomo’s plan could be the basis of a deal before then. Cuomo wants a minimum licensing fee of $50 million per casino and a 25 percent cut of gross revenues at the sites going to the state.

Any plan to legalize casino gambling on non-Indian land in New York must be approved by the state Legislature, Cuomo and the state’s voters. A constitutional amendment could be put before voters in November.

The six regions in play in Cuomo’s plan are the Catskills, Albany-Saratoga, the North Country, central New York, the eastern part of the Southern Tier and western New York.