Members of the New York Gaming Commission are touring three under-construction casino sites after recently enacting several new regulatory measures.
The new regulations cover gambling and surveillance methods at three new casinos in Schenectady County, Kiamesha Lake, and Seneca County, which are under construction after obtaining state regulatory approval.
A fourth casino is planned at Tioga Downs in Nichols.
The commission recently toured the site of the Montreign Resort Casino in Kiamesha Lake, which is located near Monticello and where a 90,000-square-foot casino and 18-story hotel are under construction. A golf course also is planned for the $1.3 billion casino project, and Empire Resorts will be in charge.
The commission next is scheduled to visit the $320 million Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, followed by the Lago Resort & Casino in Seneca County, where a $425 million hotel, casino, and spa are planned.
The commission’s new rules for the under-construction casinos restricts gaming to adults who are at least 21 years old, bans firearms, restricts operating hours, and other regulatory matters.
The Gaming Commission estimates the three casinos will create $212 million in annual tax revenues toward education, plus up to about $10 million in annual revenue sharing with local units. The state also would receive $151 million per year in licensing fees.
The state will get more if a fourth casino is approved in Nichols, where the owners of Tioga Downs Casino Racing and Entertainment awaits the results of background checks before getting the final okay to proceed with construction on a new casino there.
