Opinion: Asian gaming giant concerned about Shinnecock Nation

Monday, July 25, 2011  

"Genting is the Malaysian global gaming juggernaut that has been working on gaming projects within the United States for several years and finally appears to be on the verge of opening its first domestic casino before the end of the year. Yet, one of its top executives has just suggested that a tribal casino proposed for Long Island could wreck its plans for a major racino development at Aqueduct in New York City.

Colin Au is a senior executive of Genting New York LLC, the company that was selected to develop the Aqueduct facility which will operate under the name "Resorts World New York." He also has been publicly identified for other company projects in the United States, including a sidetracked casino in Fall River, Massachusetts, in partnership with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, after leading that tribe out of an agreement with the Town of Middleborough for a major casino resort development. But Mr. Au now is expressing serious corporate concerns that the Aqueduct project could be put out of business if the newly recognized Shinnecock Nation of New York opens a casino in Long Island's Nassau County.

Mr. Au then ominously warned the Board that Genting could be bankrupted by a Shinnecock casino on Long Island, expressing emphatic opposition to the proposed Long Island Indian casino. If such a casino is opened, he said, "It would be disastrous. We probably would have to close shop." The implication was that the state would be the big loser in that case since the taxable revenues generated at Aqueduct would be permanently lost, as well as a commitment to pay 7 percent of revenues to the New York Racing Association and 1.5 percent to the breeding industry."

Get the Story:
Dennis J. Whittlesey: Tribal Casino And The Asian Global Giant: A Modern David vs. Goliath? (Mondaq.com 7/25)