For transit watchers, the vote on Monday to recommend licensing three casinos in New York City was about something other than roulette wheels and dealers shuffling cards close to home. It was about guaranteeing new revenue for mass transit in New York.
The would-be operators of the three casinos have promised to pay more than $1.5 billion in one-time fees to the state if they become operational after receiving the licenses recommended by the New York Gaming Facility Location Board. The money would be another new revenue stream for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — the state agency that runs the subways and buses in the city, along with two commuter railroads — and must be spent on operating expenses like salaries for its 70,000-person work force.
