Two Months After First Expected, We Still Await Round 1 Answers For Downstate NY Casinos

The downstate New York casino licensing process still lacks a clear schedule for providing the first round of answers.

Robert Williams, the executive director of the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), stated in February that the initial set of inquiries in the NY casinos request for applications (RFA) procedure would receive responses in approximately three weeks.

Now, after almost three months from making that statement, Williams has finally admitted defeat.

“I was incorrect.”

The Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) has received a substantial number of inquiries, with over 600 questions submitted by potential applicants. To ensure a thorough evaluation and maintain precise and consistent responses, the board is still actively working on addressing these questions.

As pointed out by Williams during Monday’s NYSGC meeting, there is currently no specific timeline established for addressing the initial set of questions.

Still waiting on Round 1 answers for downstate NY casinos

In the beginning of 2024, the GFLB initiated the downstate licensing procedure by distributing a 70-page RFA to individuals and organizations who expressed their interest.

To initiate the RFA process, interested applicants were asked to submit their questions to the GFLB before February 3rd. Following this, the board was allocated a period of 30 days to provide responses to these inquiries. In essence, this set a tentative deadline of around March 6th for receiving answers.

The GFLB announced on its website on March 2 that it had received “several hundred questions.” The staff is currently reviewing them and preparing proposed responses for the Board’s consideration, approval, and publication. However, in early April, playin-ny was informed that the GFLB would require an additional week to publish the responses.

Still, we we wait.

During Monday’s meeting, Williams emphasized the significance of the Q&As in the RFA process. Although the responses are taking longer than anticipated, it is important to recognize that they play a crucial role in clarifying requirements and making necessary amendments to the RFA. Taking the necessary time to ensure accuracy is essential.

It should be emphasized that there is no specific deadline set by law or the RFA for responding to each set of questions. This decision was intentional, giving the staff and members of the Gaming Facility Location Board ample time to thoroughly assess each question and provide accurate and consistent responses.

When will we see Round 1 questions for downstate NY casinos?

Williams clarified that there is no specific timeframe for the completion of the first round.

The executive director of NYSGC stressed the commitment of the staff to thoroughly examine, address, and enhance the over 600 inquiries received in the initial phase, while also working on preparing responses for each one.

He later stated, “Considering the extensive nature of the process and the significant impact of the answers, all the questions and their corresponding responses deserve careful and comprehensive evaluation.”

After the GFLB publishes its responses, potential applicants will be given a period of 30 days to submit additional questions. After another 30-day gap for the GFLB to respond, as per the initial RFA, the application process will commence. At the same time, members will be appointed to the Community Advisory Committees, which will assess applications, assess local support, and ultimately make a determination on whether there is sufficient backing for the proposed project in each location.

As previously demonstrated, it is anticipated that this process will require a considerable amount of time to finalize before licenses for three downstate NY casinos are granted by the state.

In a recent earnings call, CEO and president of MGM Resorts International, William Hornbuckle, mentioned that the company plans to submit an official application “in the summer” and anticipates a response “by the first half of next year.”

During Monday’s meeting, Brian O’Dwyer, the chair of the NYSGC, emphasized that the state would not rush and instead take its time.

O’Dwyer stated that, as a reminder, the site selection committee has the authority to decide on the three licenses. However, after this decision is made, the commission must determine whether these three entities should be granted licenses to operate a casino in New York.

I want to make it clear that this commission will not simply approve everything without careful consideration. We will thoroughly examine the backgrounds of individuals who may require scrutiny. Our utmost priority is to ensure that the casinos are operated with the highest level of integrity.