The Adams administration proposed zoning changes last week that would allow casino development across wide swaths of the city.
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The Adams administration has proposed zoning changes allowing casinos to be sited in wide swaths of the city with few limits on their footprint, amid a furious bidding war for one of three rare licenses for a downstate New York casino.
The zoning proposal would allow casinos to be sited within any manufacturing district and all but the lowest-density commercial areas, and includes no restrictions on their size. The proposal would also allow developers to include related uses in the footprint of a gaming hall, like restaurants, hotels, bars, and performing arts venues.
Administration officials say the sweeping zoning changes are necessary to ensure smooth regulatory sailing for whoever wins a highly coveted license to operate a casino in New York’s downstate region, whose untapped potential for the gambling market has long occupied the dreams of the industry. Specifically, officials believe the zoning amendments will make the city a more competitive option for the licenses compared to its surrounding environs, since casinos are not currently a permissible use in the city’s zoning code.
“As the state considers proposals for casinos downstate, it’s important that we create a level playing field for applicants within New York City so they can compete for this opportunity,” said Dan Garodnick, head of the Department of City Planning and the City Planning Commission. “This text amendment would avoid duplicating the state’s rigorous licensing process…while setting up a rational framework for consideration within our zoning.”
Despite that, most of the publicized casino bids seek to build within the city, gunning for easy access to gambling by the city’s 8.8 million residents. Real estate and gaming giants have proposed building casinos at Times Square, Hudson Yards, the United Nations, Coney…
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