Entities vying for one of the three casino licenses available in downstate New York made significant lobbying expenditures in 2025, marking the competitive nature of the licensing process, as highlighted in the annual report from the New York City Office of the City Clerk’s Lobbying Bureau.
Multiple casino applicants found themselves among the top ten largest lobbying spenders in New York City last year. Specifically, Queens Future, LLC, responsible for the Metropolitan Park project, disclosed lobbying costs of $1.68 million, ranking as the highest expenditure among casino applicants and second overall in the city.
Genting New York LLC, operating Resorts World NYC, reported lobbying outlays of $1.14 million, securing the fourth spot in total expenditures, whereas Bally’s Corp, which intends to establish a casino in the Bronx, reported expenditures of $830,661, placing sixth on the list.
Another proposal that was eventually rejected also appeared among the top lobbying spenders in the city. TSG Coney Island Entertainment Holdco, representing The Coney project, reported $1.4 million in lobbying expenses in 2025, making it the third-highest spender in the city. Despite the substantial efforts, the proposal was declined by its community advisory committee.
Rendering of the Metropolitan Park project
This competitive casino licensing endeavor attracted as many as 11 proposals as developers sought the trio of available licenses. The New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which ultimately endorsed the final three projects for licensing, estimated that the casinos could yield around $7 billion in gaming tax revenue and an additional $5.9 billion in other tax revenue from 2027 to 2036.
Lobbying expenses associated with the Metropolitan Park proposal had been accumulating for several years prior to the final licensing decision. In 2023, two entities tied to this project appeared in the list of the city’s top ten largest lobbying spenders.
New Green Willets, LLC, formed by Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets and a partner in the Metropolitan Park, declared lobbying expenses of $946,809 that year, ranking second in New York City. Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, the casino partner for the project, reported spending of $660,000, placing fifth overall. The combined expenditures from both entities surpassed $1.5 million.
The following year saw a similar trend, with the three projects that ultimately received licenses being the top lobbying spenders in the city. Metropolitan Park disclosed $1.35 million in lobbying costs, the highest amount recorded that year. Genting New York LLC reported $990,000, and Bally’s reported $914,161.
The number of lobbying firms engaged varied significantly among competitors. Queens Future and Bally’s each engaged 12 lobbying firms, which was the highest number for any entity in the city. Genting retained three firms, while The Coney worked with four.
Rendering of The Coney project
Across all entities involved, total lobbying expenditures related to the Metropolitan Park project reached approximately $4.6 million over a three-year period up to 2025.
The project faced a legislative hurdle before advancing. State Senator Jessica Ramos chose not to sponsor the required rezoning legislation for the project’s development.
This issue was later resolved when Senator John Liu introduced the necessary legislation, as his district encompasses a smaller part of the proposed project area. Once Senator Liu carried the legislation, the proposal encountered no further obstacles.
Metropolitan Park stands out as the largest of the three licensed developments based on projected costs. With an estimated budget of $8 billion, it exceeds the $5.5 billion for Resorts World and the $4 billion for Bally’s Bronx proposal. The project is linked to Cohen, whose net worth, as reported by Forbes, is approximately $23 billion, making him the 104th wealthiest individual globally.
Bally’s Bronx also faced its share of political hurdles throughout its approval process. The project encountered zoning opposition from the New York City Council but remained in contention following two actions by former Mayor Eric Adams.
Genting Group’s Resorts World in Queens
Initially, Adams reduced the vote threshold required by the council by issuing a letter of recommendation and later vetoed a council rejection of the proposal, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a pool of applicants.
The financial responsibilities linked to the Bally’s Bronx endeavor extend beyond lobbying expenses. In addition to the $500 million casino license fee and the $500 million minimum capital investment needed for the development, Bally’s agreed to pay $115 million to the Trump Organization for acquiring the project site, contingent on receiving the casino license.