Aqueduct Entertainment Group, the state’s erstwhile pick for the
lucrative Aqueduct racino redevelopment contract in Elmhurst, Queens,
is angling to sue the state for the “arbitrary, unauthorized and
discriminatory actions taken against them” when the Lottery Division denied the group a gaming license earlier this year, Crain’s reported. AEG
has asked a state Supreme Court judge for permission to sue the state’s
Lottery Division, along with elected officials including Gov. David
Paterson, Senate President Malcolm Smith and Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver, in an attempt to win back the contract, said Dorman Davis, who
is representing AEG. The lawsuit charges that the gambling license
rules were changed after AEG was selected, and that the group’s
rejection was therefore “an abuse of discretion.” The AEG selection is
still under investigation by the state inspector general’s office, and the Lottery Division is expected to make a recommendation for a winner in the latest round of bidding
Aug. 3. Just Genting New York, part of a Malaysian firm that operates
overseas casinos, remains in the running after SL Green and Penn
National Gaming were disqualified last week,
but Davis said AEG is seeking “a temporary restraining order until we
have a hearing or trial.” The Lottery Division said it had not seen the
lawsuit and so declined to comment. [Crain's] 

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From left: SL Green’s Marc Holliday and Penn’s Peter Carlino

Just one bidder is left vying to develop and operate the Queens Aqueduct racino project after proposals by SL Green and Penn National Gaming were disqualified yesterday for not conforming with the requirements of the competition, Crain’s reported. A late entry by Genting New York, part of a Malaysian investment firm that operates foreign casinos, is now the de-facto front-runner for the lucrative contract. If state Lottery officials do not approve the Genting application, it could force an already controversial and long-delayed project into its sixth round of requests for proposals as neither SL Green nor Penn National will be eligible for reconsideration. Former bidders Delaware North and Empire City/Yonkers Raceway pulled out of the competition because they did not want to comply with the requirements of the state’s most recent RFP, but Lottery officials said yesterday that neither SL Green nor Penn National came close to following the rules, either. Following the rejection, a spokesperson for SL Green called the Lottery’s application was “totally unreasonable.” [Crain's]

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The state’s fifth round of requests for proposals to develop and operate the long-delayed Aqueduct racino in Ozone Park, Queens drew three bidders before yesterday’s deadline, Crain’s reported. Still in the running are Genting New York, an arm of a Malaysian investment firm that operates foreign casinos, Penn National Gaming and a partnership between SL Green and Toronto-based Clairvest Group. Each has agreed to pay $300 million upfront if selected. Both SL Green and Penn National were part of previous failed rounds of bidding, while Clairvest was a partner in Aqueduct Entertainment Group’s winning — but then aborted — bid in the last selection round and had submitted its own $1 million refundable entry fee into the bidding process earlier this month. In a controversial move last year, the state awarded a contract to AEG, only to withdraw its support after the group was denied a gaming license and an investigation was launched into the selection process. Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway and Delaware North, both of which had initially entered the bidding contest earlier this month, have both dropped out of the running. The state’s Lottery Division plans to review the submissions over the next five weeks and to make a recommendation to Gov. David Paterson, who will be bound by the agency’s pick, Aug. 3. [Crain's]

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The state’s fifth round of requests for proposals to develop and operate the long-delayed Aqueduct racino in Ozone Park, Queens drew three bidders before yesterday’s deadline, Crain’s reported. Still in the running are Genting New York, an arm of a Malaysian investment firm that operates foreign casinos, Penn National Gaming and a partnership between SL Green and Toronto-based Clairvest Group. Each has agreed to pay $300 million upfront if selected. Both SL Green and Penn National were part of previous failed rounds of bidding, while Clairvest was a partner in Aqueduct Entertainment Group’s winning — but then aborted — bid in the last selection round and had submitted its own $1 million refundable entry fee into the bidding process earlier this month. In a controversial move last year, the state awarded a contract to AEG, only to withdraw its support after the group was denied a gaming license and an investigation was launched into the selection process. Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway and Delaware North, both of which had initially entered the bidding contest earlier this month, have both dropped out of the running. The state’s Lottery Division plans to review the submissions over the next five weeks and to make a recommendation to Gov. David Paterson, who will be bound by the agency’s pick, Aug. 3. [Crain's]

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SL Green, Penn National Gaming and Delaware North/Saratoga Gaming and Raceway are all back in the running to become the new Aqueduct Racino developer and operator in the state’s fifth round of requests for proposals for the long-delayed project, Crain’s reported. New to the bidding this time around are Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, Genting New York, an arm of a Malaysian investment firm that operates foreign casinos and Toronto-based Clairvest Group, which was a partner in Aqueduct Entertainment Group’s winning — but then aborted — bid in the last selection round. In a controversial move last year, the state awarded a contract to AEG, only to withdraw its support after the group was denied a gaming license and an investigation was launched into the selection process. [Crain's]

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Penn National Gaming might be gearing up for another bid on a contract to operate the Aqueduct racino in Queens, Crain’s reported, as are at least four others that have yet to be disclosed. The city issued its new request for proposal — its fifth attempt to select a builder an operator for the racino — last week and has since received more than 120 questions in response, submitted by five different prospective bidders, a spokesperson for the New York Lottery, which issued the RFP, said. “We’re awaiting additional information prior to deciding whether or not to participate,” Eric Schippers of Penn National said. Proposals are due June 29 with a minimum $300 million payment upfront and this time, bidders will not be allowed to lobby for their group. The last time around, Governor Paterson’s controversial selection of Aqueduct Entertainment Group for the project sparked accusations of foul play and ultimately led to the state backing down from its pick. [Crain's] 

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Penn National Gaming might be gearing up for another bid on a contract to operate the Aqueduct racino in Queens, Crain’s reported, as are at least four others that have yet to be disclosed. The city issued its new request for proposal — its fifth attempt to select a builder an operator for the racino — last week and has since received more than 120 questions in response, submitted by five different prospective bidders, a spokesperson for the New York Lottery, which issued the RFP, said. “We’re awaiting additional information prior to deciding whether or not to participate,” Eric Schippers of Penn National said. Proposals are due June 29 with a minimum $300 million payment upfront and this time, bidders will not be allowed to lobby for their group. The last time around, Governor Paterson’s controversial selection of Aqueduct Entertainment Group for the project sparked accusations of foul play and ultimately led to the state backing down from its pick. [Crain's] 

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After Governor David Paterson’s ill-fated selection of the Aqueduct Entertainment Group to operate the Aqueduct racino in Queens, state officials are once again soliciting bids from potential developers, according to the Observer. The selection of AEG drew considerable ire from the state officials and the public, as accusations of favoritism and unfair political connections cropped up almost immediately after Paterson’s winter announcement. [more]

The Queens architect who has worked on some of the city’s largest recent construction projects, including the AirTrain to John F. Kennedy Airport, is the target of an investigation into his ties to the Democratic political leaders who backed them. Robert Gaskin has contributed thousands to the campaigns of Rep. Gregory Meeks, state Sen. Malcolm Smith and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, and has done work on properties owned by each. He has also been hired to do work for the church of former Rep. Floyd Flake, of Aqueduct Entertainment Group notoriety. A probe by a federal grand jury in Manhattan is looking into whether there is a connection between those ties and the fact that the politicians were also strong supporters of city projects for which Gaskin has won contracts. Among them: planning for the Greater Jamaica Economic Development Corp. and the JetBlue corporate center in Jamaica. [Post]

A confidential report on the six former Aqueduct race track contract bidders has been released to the New York Times, which had sought it through a Freedom of Information Act request, raising more questions over the legitimacy of Aqueduct Entertainment Group’s selection. The document, prepared by the state Division of Lottery, shows a basic assessment of the six candidates for the Ozone Park casino and race track project, including the controversial pick, the AEG. The assessment, which Governor David Paterson’s communications director said was conducted early in the process, ranks candidates in 11 different criteria, giving each scores of “positive,” “neutral” or “negative.” In the report, AEG garnered four “positive,” three “neutral,” and four “negative” scores. Early pack leader, SL Green-Hard Rock, meanwhile, nabbed seven “positive,” four “neutral” and zero “negative” scores. [more]