Staten Island, New York Borough President Vito Fosella is asking the New York State Gaming Commission to consider the borough as one of the locations for the downstate casino.
Fosella held a press conference last week at which he proposed the New York Wheel site as a potential casino location.
The New York Wheel project, intended to create the world’s tallest observation wheel, was abandoned in 2018 by its principals over ballooning construction costs. CanAm Enterprises, one of the promoters of the wheel project, has proposed a smaller wheel at the site. Fosella proposed the site for a casino, although he admitted he has not discussed the idea with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which owns the site.
Fosella, who recently toured the site, proposed a project that would result in a casino property that also features a smaller wheel.
“Why not look at that site through a different lens?” Fosella said at the press conference. “And frankly, who knows, maybe we can have a combination of a casino and a Ferris wheel too as a tourist attraction as they have in places like Las Vegas.”
There has been no discussion of a concrete bid for one of the three approved downstate casino licenses from NYCEDC. Wynn Resorts, in partnership with Related Companies, announced the first bid for one of the casinos two weeks ago, proposing a resort on an undeveloped portion of Hudson Yards.
The NYCEDC has not commented on the idea for the Staten Island project.
