Yonkers Committee Advances Empire City Expansion Bid

A Yonkers Community Advisory Committee unanimously voted 5-0 to advance MGM Resorts’ Empire City Casino expansion proposal, making it the first downstate bid to clear local review after several Manhattan proposals were rejected. Reports describe the redevelopment at roughly $1.7 billion to $2.3 billion and would add table games, a high‑limit lounge, a BetMGM retail sportsbook, multiple restaurants, a parking garage and a roughly 5,000‑seat entertainment venue while preserving the long‑running Yonkers racetrack. Committee members emphasized the project’s potential for new jobs and tax revenue and noted MGM’s pledges to fund measures addressing neighbors’ flooding and public‑safety concerns. With the CAC vote, MGM Empire City’s application moves to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which is set to decide on up to three downstate licenses by Dec. 1. Other bids in Queens, the Bronx and near Citi Field remain in contention.