Supporters of more casinos in New York State have been a little anxious about sentiment in New York City, where the fate of the constitutional amendment is expected to rest. They may be breathing a sigh of relief today after a New York Times poll showed that 60% of Gotham voters favored the measure. It was helped by a considerable NIMBY factor: When asked if they wanted a casino in the Five Boroughs, support fell to 50%. And only 13% considered themselves “very likely” to visit one of the upstate casinos. Support for Proposal One was thought to be softest in New York City (and the Times had editorialized against it), but this poll makes the well-funded campaign look like an Election Day shoo-in.
Those with a sentimental attachment to the Borscht Belt — such as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) — should be pleased, as that’s one of the areas targeted for casino-fueled renewal.Two of the would-be players are Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, who know a thing or two about making casino gambling pay off out in the sticks. Fuming on the sidelines will be Las Vegas Sands, which is only interested in the Big Apple. If Proposal One passes, that’s Genting Group territory until 2021 … by which time Sheldon Adelson will have acquired a nuclear weapon and be threatening to use it on anybody who doesn’t give him a casino concession.
Back in the hub of Sheldon’s empire, a bumper crop of cash is expected. Macao casino revenues are predicted to surpass $4.4 billion this month, a new all-time record.
A cavalcade of cuisine. That’s what’s coming to Vegas, with over a dozen restaurant openings, expansions and relocations. I can vouch for Buddy V’s, having eaten there last week and I enjoyed The Meatball Spot when it was still at Town Square. Putting a beer garden in front of the still-seedy Plaza strikes me as a quixotic idea. And if you tastes run toward artery-hardening cuisine, fear not: Guy Fieri is coming to The Quad and bringing an eponymous restaurant with him.
