The licensing approval and then the eventual opening of four commercial casinos in 2016 and 2017 in upstate New York was a relative breeze compared to the current second phase of planned casino expansion in the state.

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That would be the awarding of three casino licenses in the New York City area — sites that would bring in dramatically larger amounts of tax revenue to the state than their upstate counterparts.

Why has this process proven so much more cumbersome? When will winners finally be chosen? And why does a prominent New York City elected official describe the saga to Casino Reports as “an embarrassing picture of ineptness”?