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MGM aims to convert Empire City Casino into MGM Empire City
MGM Resorts International today announced its vision for MGM Resorts to transform its Empire City Casino into a global entertainment destination, MGM Empire City, if a commercial casino license for the historic Yonkers site in New York is awarded. Key elements of the Phase 1 design include comprehensive casino floor redevelopment and expansion, 5,000-capacity entertainment venues, state-of-the-art BetMGM sportsbooks, celebrity chef's food and beverage stores, cocktail bars and lounges, and technologically advanced conference spaces.
MGM Resorts' Vision for MGM Empire City
MGM Empire City's plan is a complete real estate redevelopment that features the transition from Latino, a video lottery terminal, to a full-fledged commercial casino with live dealer table games, the latest slot machines, and a high-limit gaming zone for its most recognizable casino guests. The design adds several new destination dining experiences, including a modern steakhouse, a casual quick-service Italian American experience, and an authentic Asian noodle bar and restaurant. Existing locations, the Big Kitchen Food Court and the Pub Sports Bar, will also be transformed into new luxury food concepts. The plan also includes the development of a new parking lot to significantly enhance the guest arrival experience, while giving visitors direct and convenient access to the casino and its amenities.
For the first time in the region, the entertainment venue will host A-list performers and events in a spectacular 5,000-person venue with unrivaled views, state-of-the-art sound, and dedicated amenities. MGM Resort is the third-largest seller of live performance tickets in the U.S. and is known for its entertainment offerings that can accommodate more than 100,000 people per day across entertainment venues worldwide. MGM Empire City's entertainment venues will stimulate the region's economy, bringing new events to the market and bringing both locals and tourists together.
Additionally, the commercial casino license will allow MGM Empire City to showcase its BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge, providing customers with a vibrant game-day experience with a 112-foot wraparound LED screen, stadium seating, VIP area, multiple betting kiosks, and food and beverage operations.
"MGM Resort has a long and proud history of delivering world-class entertainment and gaming experiences, and we're excited to build that track record at MGM Empire City," said Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of MGM Resort. "The full-fledged casino and entertainment destination will provide an unparalleled experience, create thousands of jobs, revitalize the state's economy, and become a game changer for the entire region."
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said, "This is a significant opportunity for the city of Yonkers, and I am excited for the future as I know that the development of MGM Empire City will create thousands of good-paying union jobs and economic growth that will ensure the prosperity and prosperity of our city. Already attracting millions of guests annually, this development plan will cement Empire City's status as a premier entertainment destination. Generations of Yonkers residents have worked, enjoyed, and supported this historic building for 125 years, and I am excited about the significant impact this project will have on our residents now and for the next 125 years."
Ed Domingo, general manager of Empire City Casino, said, "When MGM Resorts acquired Empire City Casino in 2019, we knew that we were becoming custodians of a historic institution that has served New Yorkers for generations as a gathering place for entertainment, a source of jobs for the community, and a driving force for economic development." As MGM Resorts prepares to enter its sixth year under the leadership of the iconic property, we are excited to combine the knowledge we have developed in the New York market with our expertise as a global entertainment brand to bring the next chapter of the New York entertainment landscape to the incredible communities we are part of
With 31 destinations around the world, MGM Resorts offers best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meeting and conference spaces, an amazing live and theater entertainment experience, extensive restaurants, night and retail services, sports betting and online gaming operations.
Empire City – dedicated community partner
Empire City is also one of the largest gaming floors in the U.S., boasting the largest casino floor in the company's domestic portfolio at 160,000 square feet. It has been operating since October 2006, when it currently has a video lottery terminal and an electronic table game under a lottery license. The site is also home to the historic Yonkers Raceway, a world-famous horse racing harness track that has been operating since 1899. MGM Resorts is committed to continuous racing operations and has recently invested significantly in renovating the track. 슬롯사이트 순위
Empire City is Yonkers' largest tax contributor and one of its largest private employers. Future development plans will significantly increase its workforce with thousands of direct employment and more than 10,000 indirect and induced jobs. The property currently spends tens of millions of dollars annually on local goods and services while keeping New York dollars in the state.
MGM Resorts leads the market share across the non-Vegas market, generating significant tax revenue for states to spend on major programs. Acquiring a full commercial gaming license allows MGM Resorts to provide a competitive casino experience for services provided by neighboring states, thereby curbing the current flow of entertainment dollars from New York to gaming and entertainment properties in other states. The commercial license is also expected to spark more than $1 billion in new economic activity in the region.
The development plan will move forward if MGM Resorts succeeds in securing one of the three full commercial casino licenses currently being tendered in New York State. The application process and timeline will be provided by the New York State Gaming Facilities Location Board in the coming months.
Despite its enormous obligations, Caesars is expanding.
Last year, Caesars and its partner Rock Gaming opened two casinos in Ohio and added slot machine-only casinos to a racetrack near Cleveland. Rock Gaming and Caesars are partners in Baltimore, the $400 million Hosch Casino, which is expected to open next year. Caesars is also considered a leader in partnering with Boston's Suffolk Downs Race Track to gain a sole game license and build a $1 billion hotel casino in Massachusetts's largest city.
With 300,000 square feet of outdoor retail, dining and entertainment, and 550-foot high roller observatory anchored, Linq embraces the belief that adding non-gaming elements could be a means to increase the company's revenue outside the casino.
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank game analyst Brent Pirosch told Bloomberg News the Caesars are embracing a "new model of Las Vegas." 슬롯사이트 순위
Meanwhile, Krejcik said Caesars' true growth area is the interactive sector that runs the paid wsop.com poker site World Series of Poker in Nevada and is looking for a Sylvie Online Gaming license in New Jersey. The company plans to expand the brand as other states legalize internet gambling.
The real money-makers are social and mobile casino games offered through Playtika and Buffalo Studios, two wholly owned subsidiaries of Caesars. In 2012, total interaction sales were $193.3 million. Crazy estimates that the division will have $283 million in sales this year. Social gaming customers pay nominal fees to increase their "virtual" chip stack.
Krejcik said, "Cesers generates nearly half of its social casino revenue from mobile and tablets, which I think is important given the secular shift to mobile gaming." He sees Caesars raise $407 million to $488 million from an estimated $3.7 billion in industry-wide social gaming revenue by 2015.
But can social games help reduce Caesars' debt? It will take a lot of tokens.
Firecreek Crossing Slated to Be Reno’s Newest Casino
Elevation Entertainment is planning a new casino-resort in Reno, marking another addition to the flourishing Northern Nevada market.
For now, the planned gaming venue is known as the Firecreek Crossing Resort-Casino and would be the first from-the-ground-up casino-hotel in the city in several decades.
Our vision for the gaming entertainment industry is to take well located gaming establishments with strong customer bases and turn them into vibrant, exciting, and elaborate entertainment destinations that will appeal to the entire marketplace,” according to California-based Elevation Entertainment.
The company has several commercial and residential real estate projects under its belt, including two Golden State gaming venues. Elevation operates Seven Mile Casino in Chula Vista in the San Diego area and Stones Gambling Hall in the Sacramento region.
Reno Booming, Becoming Competitive Market
The Reno casino market, which includes gaming venues in Lake Tahoe and Sparks, will always be little brother to Las Vegas in the Nevada gaming scene. But the Northern Nevada market is flourishing and becoming more competitive in the process.
Firecreek Crossing Resort-Casino will be the newest casino in Reno, following the debut of Legends Bay Casino in Sparks earlier this year. Legends Bay is the first from-the-ground-up casino in Sparks in nearly three decades.
Additionally, Monarch Casino & Resort is renovating Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Reno, which is widely considered one of the market’s top-rated integrated resorts. Century Casinos is in the process of acquiring the Nugget Sparks and is expected to renovate that property in some form.
As noted by Elevation Entertainment CEO Ryan Stone in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal, the city’s demographics are favorable.
While nearby Lake Tahoe is home to famed ski resorts and other outdoor recreation, Reno is attracting companies, such as Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, and Tesla, contributing to an unemployment rate below three percent — far below Nevada and national averages.
Stone mentioned in the interview Elevation considered opening another gaming venue in its home state. But California’s draconian COVID-19 lockdown measures and hostile business environment compelled to the company to look to neighboring Nevada.
Firecreek Crossing Details
In addition to 201 guestrooms, 48 suites, and a casino, Firecreek will feature a lobby bar, beer garden, multiple restaurants, and a food court, as well as a public park.
The new gaming venue will be located at Kietzke Lane and South Virginia Street. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Station Casinos parent Red Rock Resorts eyed a development at a nearby location. But the health crisis was a hurdle to that effort.
Red Rock has since sold some of its acreage in the Reno area and is focusing on its home market of Las Vegas, looking to double its footprint there by 2030. Red Rock’s departure from the market opened the door for smaller players such as Elevation Entertainment to enter the market. 프라그마틱 슬롯 사이트
Norfolk Casino Making Little Progress, City Manager Explains Delay
Norfolk is one of five cities in Virginia allowed to authorize a commercial casino development. But more than two years after residents in the Hampton Roads locale voted in favor of a $500 million casino pitch from the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and tribal gaming billionaire Jon Yarbrough, little work has been done at the project site.
The tribe and Yarbrough partnered on a development called HeadWaters Resort & Casino. The waterfront hotel property on the Elizabeth River received 65% of the nearly 89K votes cast on the local referendum question asked during the November 2020 election.
Virginia’s gaming law allows approved casino projects to open a temporary casino space amid the construction of the permanent resort. But in Norfolk, no provisional gaming venue has even begun to be constructed, nor has any work started on the permanent HeadWaters.
Temporary Casino Plan Caused Setbacks
Speaking with WAVY-TV this week, Norfolk City Manager Chip Filer explained what is most responsible for the Norfolk casino missteps.
While Hard Rock Bristol opened a temporary casino inside the former Bristol Mall in July, and Rivers Casino Portsmouth plans to open its permanent casino in a little more than two weeks on January 15, the future home of HeadWaters remains a barren parking lot.
HeadWaters has been approved to be built on 13 acres of land between the Harbor Park minor league baseball stadium and the Norfolk Southern Railroad line on the banks of the Elizabeth.
I think we all wish this was a situation where we had a big open field and could start building our casino,” Filer said. “[But the] site is pretty challenging.”
HeadWaters officials initially planned to open a temporary casino inside Harbor Park in what was formerly a restaurant and gym. But after legal concerns were raised, specifically that Virginia’s 2020 commercial gaming bill only allows the creation of an interim casino at the same physical address as where the permanent casino will operate, the developers scrapped those plans.
The tribe later announced that a temporary casino would be built on the parking lot where HeadWaters will one day stand. The provisional gaming structure will be located at 200 Park Avenue — the same address as the future casino. Harbor Park is located at 150 Park Ave. 안전 슬롯사이트
The location change, Filer explained, caused construction setbacks, as the developers needed to reconfigure how they would build the permanent structure on the same grounds as where the interim casino is to be erected.
“[It’s] created a host of problems, from where the laydown will go, to how you’ll build the temporary casino and start construction of the permanent casino at the same time,” Filer added.
$100K Yearly Maintenance Fee
Prior to the 2020 referendum, the Norfolk City Council deemed the Pamunkey-Yarbrough partnership as its preferred casino developer. The contract is valid for five years. The HeadWaters team must pay the city $100K per year to maintain the casino development rights until the resort is built.
The tribe is also still waiting on a state-issued gaming license. That will only come once HeadWaters’ temporary casino is constructed. Plans for the venue were recently submitted to the city. Planning for the permanent casino resort remains ongoing.
Singing Hills Golf Resort completes remodeling of the Sycuan Casino Hotel
Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sychuan Casino Resort announced today that it has completed remodeling hotel rooms, including all rooms, suites, and hospitality suites.
After opening for more than 66 years, the latest refresh brings the building back to its roots, bringing back the style and nostalgia of the mid-century glory days.
" With great bones like exposed bricks, breeze block details, ceiling beams, and bolted ceilings, it was clear that I wanted to go back in time and enjoy the charm of this 1956 hotel," said Chris Vance, artistic director of Sicuan Casino Resort. "My inspiration came from a nostalgic Palm Springs desert vacation, and what it was like in the past when I stayed and played golf in this mod oasis."
The hotel's 82 rooms, 14 suites, and four hospitality suites have been fully updated to include new paint, flooring, and window treatments, respectively. The furniture and headboards have been reinforced with medieval-inspired fabrics and vinyl, including artificial crocodiles and ostriches. Custom-made white hemp lamp shades are created to add to the 1950s vibe, and the existing art frame has been repurposed as an eye-catching new lithographic print.
"I chose black and white as the main palettes of the room, including black alligators and white ostrich vinyl, for extra texture and quirkyness," Vance said. "There, I introduced colors such as green, ocher, orange, and teal to furniture and art, which helped reinforce this beloved era while keeping it fresh and fun for everyone."
In addition to guest room remodeling, Singing Hills has recently upgraded Redtail Bar & Grill's golf course, driving range and bar area several times.
"Over the past few months, our team has really put their heart and soul into enhancing the experience here in Singing Hills," said Rob Cinelli, general manager of Singing Hills Golf Resort. "With our renovated rooms, redesigned bar space, and many of the golf course improvements we're working on, we're excited for our new and old guests to start enjoying several new aspects of our property."