Posted on: October 23, 2025, 07:32h.
Last updated on: October 23, 2025, 07:32h.
- Last night’s final debate for the New York City mayoralty took place.
- The remaining three candidates shared their perspectives on borough-wide casinos.
The conclusive mayoral debate in New York City before the November 4 election was conducted last night at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Long Island City, Queens. This 90-minute session provided the final opportunity for the three candidates to set themselves apart and engage the few undecided voters remaining.
Political analysts commonly regarded the evening as advantageous for leading candidate Zohran Mamdani, who maintained composure and stuck to his agenda amidst numerous attacks from his opponents. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and perennial Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, known for his role as head of the Guardian Angels, also had their standout moments.
The debate featured heated exchanges and notable quips. Cuomo remarked to Mamdani that he has “never managed anything, run anything, or held a genuine job.” In response, Mamdani called Cuomo “a desperate man” fixated solely on “power.” Sliwa claimed that Mamdani’s achievements “could fit on a cocktail napkin,” while he asserted Cuomo’s “failures could line the shelves of a public school library.”
While the debate was engaging, political commentators suggest it likely didn’t significantly alter the standings. Online forecasting markets indicate a greater than 90% probability of Mamdani’s victory next month, with Cuomo at merely 8% and Sliwa below 1%. Polls reflect Mamdani holding a double-digit advantage over Cuomo.
Candidates’ Stances on Casinos
A diverse range of topics was broached last night, including crime rates, education, and the speed limits on city streets for e-bikes and e-scooters. The economy surfaced as another key issue, highlighted by Katie Honan from The City, who raised the discussion regarding casinos.
Honan queried the candidates about their support for casinos in the five boroughs and if they had any preference among the three proposals—Bally’s Bronx, Metropolitan Park, and Resorts World New York City.
Sliwa stated that he had no preference, asserting that casinos should only be established where “the community desires them.”
“Personally, I have reservations about casinos, but New Yorkers voted to allow them, and unlike Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump, I do not consider the law to be merely a suggestion,” answered Mamdani. When pressed on whether he preferred one bid, Mamdani replied, “No, I do not have a favorite among the casinos.”
Cuomo, who served as governor during the passage of the 2013 casino bill following a statewide ballot referendum enabling four upstate and three downstate casinos, provided a more extensive response.
“I have not assessed the [casino] proposals,” Cuomo stated. “I did not vote to permit casinos in New York City. I facilitated casinos in Upstate New York for economic development. I had no involvement with the three casinos currently proposed.”
Cuomo further asserted that the downstate bidding and licensing process has been “highly problematic.”
Future Mayor’s Limited Impact
The next mayor of New York City will have minimal input regarding the outcome of the downstate casino bidding process, assuming it proceeds as planned. The New York Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to announce its selections by December 1, with concessions to be finalized by year-end.
The newly elected mayor of New York City will not be inaugurated until January 1, 2026.