CAC members explain their “yes” votes
Every casino proposal has faced some level of pushback from residents concerned about congestion, noise and other quality of life issues.
Members of the committee advisory committee tasked with evaluating MGM Empire City’s casino nodded to these concerns, but ultimately said they supported a full gaming license for the location, believing it will benefit the local economy.
“If Yonkers does not get one of these casino licenses, Empire City will wither and die,” CAC chair James Cavanaugh said at the vote.
“Who will go to an aging slot parlor?” he asked, if there are table games available elsewhere in the region.
Larry Wilson, appointed by state senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, said it was important to the senator that quality of life issues not be compromised, but he looked forward to working with the MGM team in the future.
“This was a difficult decision for me,” he said, before voting yes. “But it became clear to me that this was just the beginning of a dialog with the applicant, the city, and the state.”
Member Frank Jereis, appointed by Assembly member Nader Sayegh, called out the estimated 6,500 construction jobs that will be created by the casino expansion, as well as support from the local Teamsters union leadership.
“This project really is the definition of smart growth and smart development,” he said. “This is going to be a boon to the local economy and local businesses.”
Only a “small minority” of the community raised concerns about quality of life issues and flooding, he said.