Resorts World New York City put all its chips on the table when it officially submitted its bid to the New York State Gaming Commission hours ahead of the Friday deadline, the latest step toward unlocking an eye-popping $5.5 billion vision to build a world-class integrated resort in Southeast Queens.
Building on fifteen years of community partnerships, the 5.6 million-square-foot proposal to expand the city’s only casino would create thousands of union jobs, generate billions of dollars for education and transit, and deliver a new era of inclusive growth for Southeast Queens and expansive public amenities.
“Fifteen years ago, Resorts World made a promise to turn this site into an economic engine for Southeast Queens, New York City, and New York State,” Genting America East President Robert DeSalvio said. “And we succeeded, now generating more casino revenues and taxes each year than any other commercial casino in the U.S. Today is a major milestone for us to propose the world-class Resorts World Integrated Resort and further commit to this partnership and provide new career opportunities and tax revenue almost immediately, as soon as July 2026.”
Resorts World is among eight entities vying for one of three downstate licenses, but stands out as the lone bid with the size and readiness to drive new incremental revenue just six months after receiving a gaming facility license. The new integrated resort would see Resorts World’s current workforce expand from 1,000 existing employees to 5,000 permanent jobs across gaming, hospitality, food and beverage, security, maintenance, and other fields. More than half of the new hires would come from Queens alone and begin work within the first six months of commercial casino operations. An estimated 5,000 union construction jobs would be created to build out the integrated resort with a total of a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with more than 6,000 slots and 800 table games; 2,000 hotel rooms; a 7,000 seat entertainment venue; more than 7,000 parking spaces, over 300 food and beverage outlets; large scale meeting space; 3,000 units of workforce housing; enhanced public transit connections; and more than 10 acres of community greenspace
Hip-hop legend Nas, who came up in the Queensbridge Houses, has teamed up with Resorts World to support the new potential opportunities. He produced and narrated the newly released video “It’s About Time.” The presentation follows him through the current facility as he reflects on its legacy and envisions its future.
“The future is not something you wait for. It’s something you build. It lives in the hands of the doers, the dreamers, the people who refuse to stand still,” Nas says in the production. “From our Chairman to our newest employees, we are committed to Queens. In Queens, the future is now.”
State Senator Joseph Addabbo, who chairs the Committee on Gaming, Racing, and Wagering, said the downstate casino gaming expansion will create substantial economic development opportunities through job creation, better entertainment choices, and improved programs to address problem gambling.
“The selection of licensees must be conducted with absolute integrity, because we need credible operators who will maintain responsible business practices, generate positive economic growth and be mindful of the pitfalls that exist with gambling,” Addabbo said.
“I remain optimistic that the upcoming licensing process will proceed according to schedule, while upholding our mutual goals for responsible gaming and economic development.”
He added that he will be rooting for the Resorts World bid because they have been a great neighbor since opening at Aqueduct Raceway in South Ozone Park in 2011.
“They were a tremendous help after Hurricane Sandy, when they turned over space to the city’s Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross to run their operations,” Addabbo said. “We worked with them on blood drives, job fairs, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, they hosted safe drive-in movies for our residents, and they employ so many of my constituents in good union jobs.”
Since opening in 2011, Resorts World has sent more than $4.5 billion to the state’s public education system, and now, the MTA is expected to receive more than $1 billion from Resorts World fees and revenues in the first five years of receiving a gaming facility license, beginning as soon as next year.
“Resorts World has consistently shown that they’re a good neighbor and a strong community partner. They’ve been a major economic driver for South Queens, creating jobs and investing in the neighborhoods around them,” Council Member Joann Ariola said. “I fully support their bid and wish them the best of luck, as being granted this license would allow them to create even more jobs and deepen their positive impact on our neighborhoods.”
