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Resorts World Casino New York City’s high-ranking position has been vacated by Timothy Pearson.
According to the New York Times, Pearson, a former inspector in the NY police department, has been revealed to also have a position in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. As a trusted confidant of the mayor, this has raised concerns and prompted scrutiny.
Pearson held the position of Security Vice President and Senior Advisor at Resorts World. In early 2022, he began working for the mayor as an advisor for public safety. A special agreement was reached allowing Pearson to maintain both roles simultaneously.
Despite facing significant criticism, Pearson made the decision to step down from his position at Resorts World in order to prioritize his work with the mayor.
According to John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, Pearson’s resignation from the casino position decreases the conflict of interest he previously held, as reported by the NY Times.
The reason behind this is that Pearson’s role in the city could potentially provide him with privileged information that would give Resorts World an advantage over other New York casinos competing for a downstate license.
City Hall’s support of the NY casino adds to fishiness
Pearson’s salary for his city job with the mayor has not been disclosed by city officials, and Resorts World did not publicly disclose his salary during his employment at the casino.
Resorts World has recently opened up additional positions as they aim to expand their operations in New York City.
In May, the information regarding Pearson’s collaboration with each group was made known to the public.
Critics argue that Pearson is exploiting a loophole to receive a government salary via the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which they believe is a violation.
However, the situation becomes even more complicated. City agency employees are not permitted to receive city pensions, yet Pearson is currently receiving one based on his previous service with the police department.
Furthermore, the support of City Hall for Resorts World’s expansion plans is widely considered as a crucial factor. When considering the potential conflict of interest that Pearson’s position under Adams could have had, another dimension of potential corruption emerges.
Furthermore, it is important to note that there is an additional conflict of interest at play here. This conflict arises when we take into account Pearson’s dual role as both the overseer of security at the casino and his position under the mayor, which is directly linked to ensuring public safety.
As safety is a constant concern in casino areas, the former inspector could allocate additional police resources to the vicinity of Resorts World’s property.
Resorts World, Mayor Adams’ camp speaks out on the situation
In a statement released last Sunday, Resorts World expressed the following:
Tim, a distinguished hero who formerly served as a leader at N.Y.P.D., dedicated numerous years to safeguarding our city. Utilizing his exceptional skills, Tim ensured the safety of our facility and community for more than ten years. We fully endorse his choice to share his expertise with the city as it strives to create safer streets, and we extend our best wishes to him.
According to Fabian Levy, spokesperson for Mayor Adams, there is no conflict between Pearson’s involvement with the city and his position at the casino. Levy further stated that New Yorkers will gain from Pearson’s undivided attention on his public safety responsibilities after leaving Resorts World.
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