Genting’s Resorts World New York City has won approval from the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board for its $7.5 billion plan to turn its Queens property into what would be the first commercial casino in New York City.
The endorsement marks the penultimate step in the licensing process. The New York State Gaming Commission now has until December 31st to ratify the recommendation, a move that would clear the way for the casino to open. Resorts World says that, with final approval, it could launch hundreds of table games by the end of March 2026.
Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said the decision capped more than 15 years of work to expand the site and deliver “jobs, revenue and opportunities” for surrounding communities.
He said the proposal was the only one capable of ramping up operations within 90 days and projected it would generate billions of dollars for mass transit and public education over the next four years.
The plan calls for a $5.5 billion physical expansion of the 72-acre Aqueduct site, including a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor housing thousands of slot machines and table games, a total of 2,000 hotel rooms building on the existing Hyatt Regency tower, a new 7,000-seat entertainment venue, extensive parking facilities and more than a dozen acres of public green space.
State officials project that between 2026 and 2029, the expanded operation could deliver $2.5 billion to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, including a $600 million licence fee and nearly $2 billion in new revenue. It is also expected to contribute $2 billion to public education and more than $500 million to New York’s racing industry.
Resorts World plans to begin hiring and training up to 2,000 employees for the first phase of the casino, which is expected to open late next March.
The company has also outlined a $2 billion community benefits package that includes commitments to support the development of up to 50,000 units of workforce housing across the city’s five boroughs, a new Resorts World Innovation Campus featuring a sports and media complex led by Queens-born NBA star Kenny “The Jet” Smith, a community investment fund and a $100 million infrastructure programme.
Resorts World New York City, operated by Malaysia-based Genting Group, is currently the only VLT casino-hotel within the five boroughs.
Since opening in 2011, it has contributed nearly $5 billion to the state’s public education system and more than $2 billion to the New York Racing Association.
The site draws around five million visitors a year and features a 400-room Hyatt Regency hotel that opened in 2021, alongside a range of dining and entertainment facilities.
