Resorts World casino at Aqueduct Racetrack is starting work on a $400 million expansion, including a hotel, restaurants, retail stores, and additional slot machines.
The $400 million project for the Queens site is expected to generate $200 million in economic activity, including more than 3,000 construction jobs, casino officials say.
The project is expected to generate $200 million in economic activity for the city, including 1,000 gigs at the casino and over 3,000 construction jobs, casino officials said.
“The expansion will serve as an economic engine for our local community and the State, create more good-paying jobs for local residents, and generate significant revenue for New York State’s Lottery Education Fund,” said Scott Molina, president of Resorts World Casino New York City.
The centerpiece will include a 400-room four-star hotel with five-star suites “that will rival Manhattan’s finest accommodations,” casino officials said.
The expansion has always been part of Resorts World’s Malaysian parent company Genting’s idea for the location.
Genting New York gave $380 million to the cash-strapped state for the right to run the lucrative gambling hub as part of the deal.
Since its 2011 opening, the casino has generated more than $1.9 billion for the New York State’s Lottery Education Fund.
State gaming commission data reported in the New York Daily News says that customers spent more than $20 billion on the casino’s games last year, and won about $19 billion.
The site is the highest-grossing slots casino in the world, Resorts World officials said.
“The expansion of the first and only casino in the City of New York is yet another indicator of the growth underway here in Queens,” Borough president Melinda Katz said in a statement. “In its more than five years of operations, Resorts World has proven to be an exemplary neighbor and partner to the surrounding community.”
Resorts World officials say their organization has invested approximately $1.1 billion since it opened the electronic slot machine parlor adjacent to the Queens racetrack.
