The Adams administration has proposed zoning changes allowing casinos to be sited in wide swaths of the city with few limits on their footprint, amid a furious bidding war for one of three rare licenses for a downstate New York casino.
The zoning proposal would allow casinos to be sited within any manufacturing district and all but the lowest-density commercial areas, and includes no restrictions on their size. The proposal would also allow developers to include related uses in the footprint of a gaming hall, like restaurants, hotels, bars, and performing arts venues.
Administration officials say the sweeping zoning changes are necessary to ensure smooth regulatory sailing for whoever wins a highly coveted license to operate a casino in New York’s downstate region, whose untapped potential for the gambling market has long occupied the dreams of the industry.
