A fully functional and totally revamped Aqueduct Racino is no longer a decades-long pipedream with little hope and less funding.
After a highly successful partial opening that saw thousands of gamers try their luck, the new casino in South Ozone Park is ready to reveal the rest of the facility on Friday, December 16 — a full four months ahead of schedule.
The additional space on the second floor will double the amount of Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) and Electronic Table Games (ETG), while also adding an upscale gaming option and two signature restaurants with views of the track below. Resorts World representatives also revealed a third floor, which will house the largest event space in Queens.
Resorts World president Michael Speller called the casino’s second floor an “alternative” for exclusive members who desire a higher level of play and service.
“The main difference is the finishes and it’s more comfortable,” said Speller, adding that Crockfords Casino, an invitation-only room on the second floor, will offer high stakes gamers a chance to gamble amid an opulent setting. “It’s a very upscale and private gaming experience.”
The upscale casino is designed to lure out-of-state gamers to Resorts World — where Speller hopes they will spend locally.
“They’re [gamers] going to Jersey. They’re going to Vegas. They’re going to Connecticut. They’re going to Pennsylvania,” he said. “That’s all money that’s leaving the state.”
Although casino construction is moving swiftly, the same cannot be said for the “Skybridge,” which is designed to move customers from the A-train station to the casino without stepping outdoors. That development is moving at a slower pace and has been pushed back to early spring.
That doesn’t seem to be slowing down business, as Resorts World raked in more than $50 million since its opening. Speller said that since opening business has leveled off, but the customers are still coming in at a regular clip.
“This has been a very good success story so far,” he said. “Not only in terms of business, but also in the thousands of jobs that have been created here in Queens.”
Speller said that there are no plans to buy additional land for hotels, but he noted that if full scale table gaming was brought to the state Resorts World would be ready to accommodate.
“We can adjust for table games rather quickly,” he said. “We certainly support enhanced gaming in the state and we look forward to seeing that unfold next year.”
