Nas-Backed Queens casino bid advances as Jay-Z-backed Times Square project falters

A Nas-backed bid to build a casino at Aqueduct Resorts World in Queens won preliminary approval from the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board to move to the next stage in pursuing a state gaming license, the first significant advance for the project days after a Jay-Z-affiliated group was rejected for a Times Square proposal.

The Genting Resorts World bid, a $5 billion plan, would offer live table games such as craps, blackjack and poker at Aqueduct Racetrack and include a concert hall and a sports academy featuring Queens basketball legend Kenny “The Jet” Smith. Nas is a partner in the bid, which officials have pitched as a way to funnel revenue and commerce into Queens. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards framed the decision as a win for the borough, saying, “There’s a theme in Queens and I know Nas is a part of it. Queens gets the money!” and adding, “Sorry Jay-Z. We win again.” The board’s move to advance the bid came after a Times Square casino proposal backed by Nas’ former rival Jay-Z, Caesars Entertainment and Sl Green Realty was rejected by state authorities earlier this month.

The same decision-making process also saw momentum for another widely watched project: MGM Empire City in Yonkers. Its bid to add live table games cleared a major hurdle when Yonkers’ community advisory board voted unanimously, 5-0, to support the project. James Cavanaugh, chairman of the Yonkers advisory committee and an appointee of former Mayor Andrew Spano, warned that Empire City’s table games license is essential for its survival, saying the casino could wither without it. That judgment underscores how the market and regulators view table games as a key driver of a project’s viability in competing against other New York-area venues.

In Manhattan, by contrast, the state’s advisory process eliminated all Manhattan bids at the early stage, including the Times Square plan. Broadway industry groups and local residents had mounted fierce opposition to a casino in that neighborhood, arguing the project would bring traffic, congestion and cultural disruption. The rejection highlighted the uneven playing field among boroughs and the complexity of balancing entertainment, heritage districts and economic development.

Looking ahead, the statewide Gaming Commission has final say and will award up to three licenses by year’s end. The community siting boards will review three other bids next week: Bally’s in The Bronx at the site of the former golf course property operated by President Trump’s organization at Ferry Point; The Coney in Coney Island; and Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock’s proposal next to Citi Field. The process emphasizes a multi-stage review that weighs project scope, economic impact, and neighborhood compatibility before licensing decisions.

Industry observers note that the Yonkers and Queens “racino” bids have advantages tied to their existing local footprint and track records of delivering revenue. MGM Empire City opened in 2006 and Genting Resorts World in 2011, and both operators have cultivated neighborhood goodwill and a history of contributing substantial state tax receipts and local employment. The Broadway League’s opposition to the Times Square plan and concerns from other local groups had long complicated the path to a Northeast casino cluster, but advocates say the current process is moving forward with a clearer framework and more defined regional strategy. As the state advances its licensing timeline, bidders and local leaders will be watching closely to see how licensing decisions align with the broader economic development goals for New York’s five boroughs and surrounding counties.