Last month, Senator Joseph Addabbo introduced legislation to dramatically speed up the licensing process for three casinos in or around New York City. The shift stands to benefit one of the clear frontrunners for a license — the Resorts World racino, which borders Addabbo’s Queens district — while possibly hurting the odds of several rivals. A modified version of the idea is gaining traction in the legislature, now in its final days of session.
Documents obtained by New York Focus indicate that a lobbying firm working for Resorts World helped produce the original bill.
In the run-up to the introduction of Addabbo’s bill, draft language circulated in Albany in the form of a Microsoft Word document.
