Convention center near Aqueduct in the cards

Gaming might not be the only attraction in the cards at the Aqueduct Racino in South Ozone Park.
According to published reports, the operator of Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct is considering building a convention center once construction on the casino is completed.
“Resorts World is absolutely interested in undertaking additional projects on the land surrounding Aqueduct if the right opportunity exists, subject to approval of all relevant authorities, including the Franchise Oversight Board,” said Stefan Friedman, spokesperson for Resorts World Casino.
The Jacob Javits Center on the far West Side currently stands as the city’s only convention center – and many of the city’s business and tourism representatives have raised concerns about its size and accessibility.
For now, however, Resorts World said that their main focus is on completing the casino and delivering jobs to Queens.
“Of course, our focus right now is opening Resorts World Casino New York, which will help stimulate the local economy in Queens by providing 1,150 new, permanent jobs and countless indirect jobs into the community,” said Friedman.
Senator Joseph Addabbo said that he meets with representatives from Genting, the casino’s developer, every month to discuss ways to improve the area surrounding Aqueduct. He said that during those conversations, they have spoken in very general terms about a possible convention center.
“I’m sure that they [Resorts World] will look at all possibilities for the site surrounding Aqueduct,” he said. “If they decide to move forward with a convention center, it could have a great impact on job creation. It is something we will continue to discuss.”
Addabbo also said that “we, as a city, need to compete with other cities around the country. We have something we can offer that is quite unique in two major airports. It’s a healthy discussion and as we move forward, we will talk about jobs as well as traffic patterns and public safety.”