The Nas-backed bid to bring Resorts World NYC to Queens, New York, has been approved, Resorts World has announced. The Community Advisory Board announced the decision following a unanimous vote Thursday in favor of the development. According to a press release, the next step is to receive final approval from the Gaming Facility Location Board.
“On behalf of the entire Resorts World team, I want to thank the Community Advisory Committee for recognizing the impact we will have not only on Queens but all of New York City and State,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, the regional operator of Resorts World New York City, in a press release. “We are incredibly grateful to the large number of residents, partners, and supporters who touted this project, without a single person speaking against it. This is a testament to our mission – solidified over the last 15 years – to be the best neighbor possible here in Queens.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards also shared his thoughts on the announcement, while poking fun at Jay-Z‘s proposal for a Times Square casino being rejected.
“There’s a theme in Queens, and I know that Nas was a part of this: Queens get the money. Sorry, Jay-Z, we win again,” Richards said in a clip making its rounds on social media. “You can let the Brooklyn borough president know that I send my regards to him.”
If approved, the Resorts World, worth $5.5 billion, will “create 24,000 new jobs” and “provide $1 billion in new incremental revenue to New York State in 2026, and billions of dollars in economic activity beginning as soon as next July,” according to a press release. The expansion will also include 30 food and beverage outlets and a 7,000-seat entertainment venue, among other things.
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