MONTICELLO – State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D, Bronx) got a firsthand look at the diversity of Sullivan County from the blight in downtown Monticello to the future plans for the Montreign casino-resort to be constructed just miles away in Kiamesha Lake.
Heastie was surprised by the similar struggles between his and Assemblywoman
Aileen Gunther’s districts, especially when it came to the state
of Monticello’s Broadway strip; however, he believes revitalization
initiatives present a glimmer of hope for Monticello’s downtown
as it has worked with other downtown areas in the region that were in
a similarly depressed state.
“Going down Broadway, I said the good, the bad and the ugly, that was pretty bad and we just discussed a lot of ideas of what could be done to revive a major commercial strip like that,” said Heastie. “I’ve actually seen the results in other cities, Schenectady, their downtown a few years ago looked just, pretty much, like what we just visited and they’ve kind of rebuilt it; so, we now have to come up with ways to, kind of, rebuild that Broadway strip that we saw downtown.”
Heastie said one of the ways he believes can make a downtown vibrant again is by introducing even one large company, with 100-plus workers, to the area. In Sullivan’s case, they are doing just that, with Montreign being one of those large projects that will inject a number of new consumers to the area.
Heastie, left, with Gunther, Empire Resort officials at the site of the planned casino-resort
The speaker admitted to not being “pro gambling” but, with
many problem gambling help organizations now focused on the area and ready
to offer help to those who may need it, he thinks the resort-casino will
invigorate the area’s economy.
“When this whole idea about the gaming came around, there was a lot of the places that could help people who gambling is a problem and alcohol is a problem,” said Heastie. “There’s like a partnership happening with the people who want to build the casinos and that was very big for me when I said that I would support it because it does help. You are going to have people have these issues but, as long as there’s avenues and agencies to try to help address these things, I think we should be ok.”
Charlie Degliomini, vice president of Empire Resorts, which will build the casino, said he thinks, after the tour, Heastie left with all of his concerns addressed.
“We spent a lot of time talking about the entry experience when you get off Route 17. He is much better informed now. We are ready to go,” Degliomini said.
Montreign is looking forward to being issued their official gaming license in the beginning of October and becoming part of the revitalization of Sullivan County.
Heastie also toured downtown Middletown with Mayor Joseph DeStefano.
