There’s a renewed vibe of revitalization and economic development blossoming in communities across Long Island, and from where Phil Boyle sits, Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel is primed to be a major part of it.
Boyle, 62, president and CEO of Suffolk OTB and Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel in Islandia, is helping to spearhead a $210 million expansion of what already is one of the state’s most profitable betting operations.
Plans call for doubling the number of betting machines from 1,000 to 2,000, refurbishing hotel rooms, erecting a new parking garage and tripling parking spaces, adding a food hall, sports grill and VIP lounge, and building out a high-end spa. Renovations are expected to take about two years.
Shovels are slated to hit the pavement in just a matter of weeks.
“There’s a growing sense that things are turning around up and down the Island,” Boyle said. “You can see it at night in towns like Bay Shore, Patchogue and Rockville Centre. Storefronts that used to be shuttered are filling up with businesses. There are new apartment complexes popping up left and right. You see people walking around at night and enjoying the nightlife. I really feel like we can be part of this success story.”
The casino has brought in nearly $4 billion in dollars waged (cash, vouchers and credits) and totaled $251,306,727 in net revenue in Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (after bettors receive their winnings), according to figures posted on the state Gaming Commission website.
Opened in 2017, the public benefit corporation, which is one of only two government-owned casinos in the United States, has generated more than $630 million for the state Department of Education and more than $30 million for Suffolk County over the seven years it’s been open.
Boyle said that along with the improvements he’s hoping the facility can add up to an additional 200 jobs to its existing roster of 500 employees. Looking to the future, his work will be focused on adding an in-person sportsbook.
“I think it would enhance our reputation as an entertainment destination and draw a younger crowd,” he said. “It would make it desirable for locals, who could come out and responsibly bet on sports, enjoy a meal, watch some games and have a great time. We’ve seen the popularity of sportsbooks in other parts of the state and I think it makes sense for us as a complement to our horse-racing forum.”
While the verdict is still out on the economic impact of New York State’s casino growth, the New York casino sector is one of the top-ranking in the U.S., home to 21 land-based gambling facilities and16 tribal gaming facilities that contribute $6.55 billion to the state’s economy and more than 25,000 jobs.
In April 2023, elected officials in Albany authorized up to three new casino licenses for downstate New York, which includes New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. The New York State Gaming Commission is working with the Gaming Facility Location Board to determine locations, yet no timeline has been announced. Boyle said he sees no threat from additional casinos in the region, as the lone potential entry for Long Island would be located by the Nassau Coliseum, if chosen.
“What’s great is that we’re right in the middle of Long Island and we’re the only casino,” he said. “We’re home to 3 million people, and we get Nassau County customers and Suffolk County customers. The majority of our clientele come from within a 35-mile radius, so we’re happy being a local casino. We have a very loyal customer base.”
In many ways, Boyle’s previous work as a founding partner of the law firm of Steinberg & Boyle, LLP in East Islip, and then as a New York State assemblyman and state senator prepared him for the challenging job of propelling Suffolk County OTB and Jake’s 58 Casino into a new age.
From 2014 through 2018, he served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, & Small Business and built a reputation on trying to make New York more business friendly.
The Bay Shore resident took the job at the beginning of 2023 after having left office. But make no mistake, this wasn’t a downshift from the political realm.
“The job is definitely nonstop,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of downtime but it’s an exciting opportunity.”
On the OTB side of things, Boyle said he takes pride in supporting the horse industry in New York and is looking to devise opportunities for growth. He said there’s a buzz in the horse-racing fandom about the Belmont Stakes being staged at Saratoga Race Course for the next two years while the Belmont facility undergoes improvements.
Boyle is excited about what the next chapter holds for him, Jake’s, OTB and for Long Island.
“There’s definitely a transformation happening,” he said. “I think we’re seeing the World War II generation and what was built here shifting a bit to a more transit-oriented workforce. The younger generations don’t want to own homes as much, and that’s driving the condo boom. And along those lines, we want to attract younger customers and ride the revitalization wave being felt in our communities. There’s a great entertainment value that we have here at Jake’s and there’s potential for growth, and if we can make it more of a destination, then I think that can benefit everyone.”
Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel & Suffolk OTB supports responsible gaming and is proud to work with the Long Island Problem Gambling Resource Center (LIPGRC) for Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
If you or a loved one are struggling with Problem Gambling contact 516-226-8342. To learn more from the Long Island Problem Gambling Resource Center, visit nyproblemgamblinghelp.org/long-island
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