Nassau County officials have reportedly decided not to gamble on a gaming facility at Belmont Park—but instead have brokered a deal for a cash payout.
After residents roundly rejected the plan to bring an electronic gambling parlor to the county, state officials have abandoned the idea and will instead transfer its authority to install 1,000 video lottery terminals (VLT) to Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. Published reports say that in exchange for receiving these machines, Genting Group LLC, the operator of the casino at Aqueduct, would send $43 million from the extra revenue generated by the VLT to Nassau County over the next three years. And the county would receive at least $25 million every year afterward.
U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice said she is glad Belmont is no longer in the conversation to get VLT, but she is more happy that Nassau still stands to gain revenue from the machines.
“Based on the details that have been reported, this strikes me as a fair deal for the county, for taxpayers and most importantly for the people who live in this community and whose children go to school right next to Belmont Park,” said Rice. “Residents, community leaders and elected officials made it clear that we weren’t willing to bet the future of our communities on the success of a casino at Belmont, especially with the casino at Aqueduct just a few miles away.”
Rice went on to say that the agreement means Nassau County can benefit from gambling revenue without opening a new facility in the community.
“That’s a win for all involved,” she said. “I’m grateful to all the residents who came together and made their voices heard on this issue, I hope to see the deal finalized in the state budget agreement and I look forward to exploring new opportunities for real, community-based economic development at Belmont Park.”
Before the new deal was struck, residents of towns surrounding Belmont Park gathered in opposition of the proposed casino at the century-old racetrack with a community rally. Local assemblymen, legislators and Floral Park Mayor Tom Tweedy joined to speak about their concerns regarding the issue.
“The people of Nassau County don’t want this casino,” Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky told the crowd at the rally. “Not now. Not ever…We are not Nassau County’s dumping ground.”
The rally spoke about the importance of bill #S07028, which was introduced by state Sen. Tony Avella from the 11th New York State district. The bill sought to rescind authority of OTB (Off Track Betting) to establish VLT anywhere in Nassau and Suffolk county. There is also a proposal for a casino in Medford or Islandia, which members of the community are against.
Several council members of surrounding areas who agree with the bill were there to show their support to the community rally at Belmont Park.
Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said that a VLT casino at Belmont would rely on a large percentage of people going to the casino to increase revenue. By doing this, she says that it is like telling the residents of Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square and other surrounding communities that “your community does not matter.”
—Additional reporting by Stephen Levine
