New renderings have been revealed for an extensive proposed expansion of the Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) casino complex at the Aqueduct Race Track in South Ozone Park, Queens. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the estimated $5 billion project would add 350,000 square feet of gaming space, a 1,600-room Crockfords-branded hotel, a 7,000-seat arena, wellness amenities, restaurants, and more than 10 acres of parks, trails, and bike paths. The existing complex spans 1 million square feet with 400 guest rooms and around 6,500 slot machines, and is bound by Rockaway Boulevard to the north, the Belt Parkway to the south, 114th Street to the east, and Aqueduct Road to the west.
The above rendering details each component of the plan, which also includes the transformation of Aqueduct Park into a mixed-use community with workforce apartments and townhouses, education facilities with a STEAM campus, new parking structures, and a basketball academy run by NBA Champion Kenny Smith.
The Crockfords Hotel addition would sit along the western edge of the parcel, adjacent to the Aqueduct North Conduit Avenue subway station, served by the A train.
The new hotel expansion. Designed by Perkins Eastman.
The following interior rendering depicts a bright atrium space lined with a glass curtain wall terraced levels leading to and from the casino expansion. Entertainment offerings within the new complex would include the Awana Spa and Ayu DayClub and restaurants by celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Scott Conant.
A new light-filed interior space. Designed by Perkins Eastman.
The arena is envisioned to cater to a range of events, with a focus on concerts.
The new entertainment venue. Designed by Perkins Eastman.
Genting Group, the Malaysian gaming and hospitality company that owns the facility, partnered with Grammy-winning Queens rapper Nas and Kenny Smith to promote the project’s ambitious future.
“Resorts World came to me with a clear goal of fostering tomorrow’s athletes, student-athletes, and leaders both on and off the court,” said Smith. “Their investment in this academy will help us teach the next generation the nuances of the game on and off the court, as well as the social, economic, and cultural impact of sports. I’m thrilled to partner with them to improve the borough that raised me and take it to the next level.”
If approved by the Gaming Commission, the city would immediately gain $500 million from the initial license fee. The project would then create 5,000 union construction jobs during the build, followed by thousands of permanent union jobs with over half able to start within 100 days of opening, and generate hundreds of millions of additional tax revenue each year. Resorts World New York City also said it generated over $4 billion for the state’s public education fund since its opening in 2011.
“We’re proud to have grown with the Queens community for over a decade,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East. “When we stood here more than a dozen years ago to break ground on Resorts World New York City, our vision extended well beyond that already ambitious original plan. Today, that vision can soon become reality. Since we opened in 2011, we have been proud to work with New York City and State and the local community to deliver thousands of good-paying union jobs, billions of dollars in tax revenue to New York’s schoolchildren, and true partnership to hundreds of local non-profits. With the advent of the newly imagined Resorts World New York City we can, and will, do far more.”
“Resorts World New York City came into our community more than a dozen years ago, and every day since has been a dedicated neighbor who shows up, hears our feedback, and responds to our needs,” said Betty Braton, chair of Queens Community Board 10. “They have been with us in good times and tough times ever since, giving both financial support and their time to this community. I know this partnership will only continue as Resorts World answers the immediate needs but also presents a vision for the future.”
Resorts World New York City is one of several sites across New York City competing to win one of three downstate casino gaming licenses authorized by state officials last April.
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Well…it’s interesting. I know NYC is huge and there has always been a significant gambling population here, but I don’t think this location has anything on Manhattan or Governors Island. Perhaps this is a bit of a white elephant, but who knows?
It’s already one of the most profitable casinos in the country and it DOESN’T have table games. This has a far better chance of getting built than any of the proposals for Manhattan.
A casino… Will it bring prosperity, or propel its users into misery?
Like legalizing pot and drugs, it will increase crime and misery.
Joe – that simply is not true. Legalization of cannabis has never been proven to increase crime anywhere. No one is legalizing recreational use of narcotic drugs anywhere. Las Vegas is not crime-ridden. Stop spouting your right-wing, fearful-of-change nonsense. This site is YIMBY, NIMBY. Go post in the NY Post comments section.
These are not “right-wing” issues. People in “left-wing” locales have concerns about these, too. I’m neutral about this Queens project. But in case you don’t know, gambling has ALWAYS had a shady element to it, going back even to ancient times.
Depends on what constitutes crime ridden. Aside from the glitz of the strip – Las Vegas is not really a prosperous city. Not destitute like Atlantic City – but no economic dynamo either. And the crime rate is higher in Las Vegas than NYC.
There goes the neighborhood.
Yes, those miserable ugly parking lots will surely be missed once new developments actually make good use of that land…
Agree with above. It seems to me that this forum is for the sharing of personal opinions as they relate to architectural best practices, site planning, and land use laws. Opinions are great but everyone should be checking their facts or trying to substantiate their position.
This is a YIMBY forum. We tend to be in favor of growth and change. When folks make blanket comments about non-sequiturs that spout other political opinions we find this not helpful to this forum. This site is YIMBY in focus.
Any of these projects are going to add to the already existing traffic nightmare in NYC. Each project should include how the additional traffic will be dealt with.
Goofy name and they seem to be edging closer to dropping Aquaduct entirely. It should just be called Aquaduct. And if Coney Island gets a license that should be called Steeplechase as a nod to the past.
That arena looks larger than MSG. I suppose tourists would be disappointed this was not in Manhattan. The question in my mind is whether online gambling might eventually render casinos obsolete. When I read about racehorses, I find it would be better for that business to go away.
Hence, why they want to transform the racetrack into housing and greenery
Online gaming likely won’t render in-person gambling obsolete, as for many people, gambling in casinos is an event, with shows and other entertainment. And people-watching. Partying, etc. More exciting than being alone at home with just your laptop/phone. But true gamblers will do both online and in-person, because they’re gamblers. Its what they do.
Horse racing was gravely hurt by the rise of Indian casinos proliferating throughout the USA in the early 1980s. Prior to these casinos (and state lotteries), the only places to gamble LEGALLY was Nevada (Las Vegas/Reno) and, later, Atlantic City; and Horse/Dog Racetracks. Unless you lived in/near Vegas or Jersey, horse-betting was your only legal option. But the LOOOOOONG, dull, waiting times between the actual horse races at the racetrack exposed itself as a real problem once the fore-mentioned legal gambling outlets/opportunities began proliferating everywhere, offering much, MUCH quicker gaming turn-arounds. So why go to the racetrack if you want to try to legally win some money? Unless you just love the aura of horseracing, warts and all, this is the question millions of people asked – and answered – themselves. (It only takes a few seconds to hit the button on an electronic gambling machine, not 20-30 minutes like with between horse races.)
(Off-Track Betting starting in the early 1970s didn’t help, either.)
The total investment counting the 3,000 units of workforce housing is actually $10 Billion. Surprised they left out the plans for the ferry connection to Federal Circle JFK in the renderings.
If we must have a casino, this is the absolute best location for one. Having a large, quality sound music venue is actually very much needed. Celebrity residency shows, like with Vegas, could become the East Coast big thing. This location offers the space Manhattan simply cannot provide. And do we really need to add more congestion and hassle wear it exists the worst? Let’s share some financial love with the rest of the city.
This location offers excellent access by train, plane and car. And there would be no congestion tolls to go see a show or gamble away your money. It won’t just be tourists who use this, so location for locals is just as important. If we must have a casino, this is the only good option.
If they choose a casino for Manhattan , I think the spot in Hudson yards is the best candidate. The one on the East River is too out of context, the one by Lincoln tunnel would make traffic worse, and Times Square is already congested
The area is large enough to build, and the community accepts it. So I think there will be no problems with this co-operation: Thanks to Michael Young.
I think everyone knows that there are going to be three licenses awarded. It appears that both Yonkers and Aqueduct appear to be the favorites While third one will be competing among Manhattan’s various proposals along with Queens and Nassau county, etc.
This is a spectacular proposal by Gent IMO. IMO this proposal and Genting’s reputation with this casino at Aqueduct makes them the favorite to land one of the 3 Downstate Casinos. It’s simply a slam dunk IMO.
if they build it it will open
2026
What will this do to the proposal for a similar venue in Hempstead next to Hofstra on Hempstead Turnpike?
With ppl being unemployed n broke struggling to keep their apartments n homes not sure this is the best time as ppl get desperate n depressed they tend to look for outlets gambling is a fun outlet but when ur struggling financially can destroy ppl.