MONTICELLO – State Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther believes the second passage of legislation allowing casino gaming in New York will happen early in the new session, which begins in January. It passed earlier this year and if it is approved in the new legislature and the governor signs it as he has indicated he would, it would go before the voters this time next year.

Gunther, who supports the plan, noted there are already plans in the works for gaming in Sullivan County, specifically the Empire Resorts/Entertainment Properties Trust casino-resort project in Kiamesha Lake.

That, along with other venues in the county, would be enhanced with such a hotel-resort facility, she said.

“When we have folks come up for concerts or just come for the weekend they would have a wonderful place to offer them to stay,” she said. “There are some great ones like the Villa Roma right now, but what we really do is need to have more of a resort destination.”

The Empire Resorts/EPT project would also see Monticello Casino and Raceway relocated from its current site in Monticello to the new venue.