Casino License Recommendation is Delayed

A panel tasked with reviewing applications for casino licenses in New York state is nearing recommendations on where they should go but is weeks behind the anticipated date for an announcement.

The commission had been expected to make a decision by the end of October or early November. Now, it looks like the recommendation on licenses won’t come until mid-December at the earliest.

In a letter to New York's Gaming Commission, the head of the commission says the panel has looked over the proposals and public comments,  have reviewed applicants' financial histories and visited their proposed sites.

Up to four casino licenses are authorized to be split among three areas: the Capital Region, the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes and the Catskills/Hudson Valley.

Tioga Downs, Traditions at the Glen and Lago in the Finger Lakes region are in the running for the Southern Tier license.

A few days ago it was indicated that the board was not obligated to award all four licenses that had been authorized by voters and could opt to just award one license per region due to what is said to be a saturation of casinos in the gaming industry.