Resorts World NY Lobbyist Plays a Significant Role in Expediting Casino Legislation
A month ago, Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) presented legislation to speed up the approval of three casino licenses in New York City. It turns out that the text from this bill was copied almost word-for-word from a document created by Ali Rimkunas, who works for the lobbying firm Codro & Company - Genting's lobbyist.
Genting, a Malaysian conglomerate, operates Resorts World New York in Queens, which is close to Addabbo's district and considered a leading candidate for one of the three available permits due to their long-standing presence in NY and their tendency to generate large amounts of tax revenue for the state.
According to an article from New York Focus, the authorship of this text was traced back to Rimkunas through its metadata. As a lobbyist for Codro & Co., she focuses on gaming issues. Despite not commenting on the matter, Codro confirms her involvement in these projects.
The current timeline for deciding on the downstate casino permits is unsettling for certain gaming companies and lawmakers, including Addabbo, who are eager to expedite this process in anticipation of the economic benefits that would come from allowing casinos in the city.
Last month, Addabbo and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon) introduced a series of bills aimed at jumping-starting the approval process. The aim is to have bids for the licenses due by July 31, 2022, potentially quickening the review process and approvals by mid-2025.
Addabbo affirms that Codro made some suggestions for his bill but stresses the pivotal role of his legal team in crafting it.
"Nobody has complete, rubber-stamp authority from the outside to have their bill written, and that didn't happen here," he declared in an interview with the journalist.
His preference for Resorts World New York's bid is no secret. If Genting manages to obtain a license, they have promised to invest heavily in the property and provide over a billion dollars in annual taxes to Albany.
In the wake of the regular legislative session ending, Addabbo and State Senator Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) have introduced an amendment requiring the regulatory body to establish an August 31 deadline for applications. While this wouldn't significantly advance the timeline, it could provide some wiggle room for weaker candidates to fine-tune their bids or look into other options.
Genting's push for expedited legislation is understandable, as an alternative proposal by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International for an integrated resort close to Citi Field is faltering.
So, in summary, the proposed legislation to speed up the approval process for the casino licenses has some remarkable similarities in its text to a document created by a lobbyist working for Genting. This lobbyist-created text directs the way and the contents of the legislation, which both Addabbo and Greysox Law repeated in their new bills, even though Addabbo claims that his chief counsel authorem the bills. Additionally, Addabbo's support for Resorts World New York's proposal is well-known, as it would bring billions of dollars in investments and taxes. Also, a competing proposal from Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International appears to be struggling.
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