This proposed casino was blocked by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior

ROCK HILL – State Senator John Bonacic Wednesday said he would support a constitutional amendment to let the public decide if New York should allow full scale casino gaming.

Full casinos are not allowed now, thanks, in part, to a ruling by the current U.S. Interior Secretary, who is opposed to off-reservation casinos.  All that’s allowed are video lottery machines – electronic slot machines without arms – at raceways.  Both Monticello and Yonkers raceways have racinos.

The former Concord Hotel property is being developed as a large entertainment complex that will include a new Monticello Gaming and Raceway and racino.  Bonacic said full scale casino gaming should be left to the voters.

“I would let the people decide; that’s democracy,” he said. “I would like to see a constitutional amendment down the road to let the people see if they want to spend their money in New York or go to Atlantic City or Connecticut or Vegas or Canada.”

Developer Louis Cappelli is investing $1 billion on the Concord project.

Empire Resorts, the company that owns the raceway and racino, had been working on plans with the St. Regis Mohawk Native Americans to build a casino, but that needed federal approval, which was denied.