The idea of putting harness and thoroughbred racing at Belmont - something that is done at some tracks around the globe - also comes as the state is considering competitive proposals from the New York Islanders hockey team and New York City FC soccer team to make Belmont Park in Elmont, Nassau County, their future home.įaraldo said moving Yonkers racing to Belmont, which along with Aqueduct is owned by the New York Racing Association, could help bolster the redevelopment at Belmont. As long as you have a facility where you can race and you can broadcast the signal, conceivably you could do it anywhere.' He added, 'The vast majority of people watching and betting on the races here are doing so via the internet or OTBs or off track. And this is all very preliminary, and we haven’t gotten beyond the drawing board phase with this, but conceivably you could move racing to another site in the state.' Rooney didn't mention the Belmont talks, but said, 'We’ve been kicking around the notion of maintaining the racing, but seeking approval to offer it somewhere else. The grand vision for the property could include a hotel, parking garage, more restaurants and event space - and even a sports franchise. Rooney recognized that moving the track for other development is a possibility. We’ve told them: Their instructions are to see what the interest is in our site.' 'We, over the years, have fielded interest from numerous parties about the property and the business, and this is just an effort on our part to formalize the process. 'Their role is to evaluate the interest from outside in the property and in the business,' Rooney said of J.P. Tim Rooney Jr., general counsel at Empire City, told the USA Today Network's Albany Bureau that any number of options will be considered - though he would expect the casino operation to continue under any expansion or partnership.

It is an enticing spot, just 15 miles from midtown Manhattan. The discussions also come amid a turbulent time in the Northeast gambling market - with the possibility of casinos in northern New Jersey always looming and with the state's plans to offer three downstate casino licenses as soon as 2021.Įmpire City runs a massive video-lottery terminal facility with 5,222 machines and is the largest private employer and taxpayer in the city.

Morgan Securities to explore ways to bolster the sprawling property, possibly either with new investors or a sale by the Rooney family, which has owned the facility since 1972. The talks coincide with Yonkers Raceway's announcement last month that it hired J.P.

Tim rooney empire city casino