New York governor doubts Shinnecock Nation's casino site

Friday, February 3, 2012  

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) doesn't think the Shinnecock Nation should build a casino at the Belmont Park Raceway on Long Island.

Cuomo said the tribe's site is too close to the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, where the Genting Group, a Malaysian company operates slot machines. The two locations are less than 10 miles apart.

"My instinct is it would not make sense to have two [casinos] back-to-back at Aqueduct and Belmont," Cuomo told Newsday's editorial board. "My guess is that it would not make sense . . . from a planning point of view."

A tribal spokesperson disagreed. "The idea that the world's largest market can only support one facility at Aqueduct makes no sense," Beverly Jensen told Newsday.

As part of his State of the State, Cuomo wants to build the largest convention center in the U.S. at the Aqueduct. Genting said it would finance the $4 billion project.

Get the Story:
Cuomo: Belmont casino doesn't 'make sense' (Newsday 2/3)

An Opinion:
Editorial: Regulate gambling properly in New York State (Newsday 2/3)