TOWN OF NEWBURGH – A proposed electronic gaming casino in 90,000 square feet of space in the former Bon-Ton store location in the Newburgh Mall would generate hundreds of jobs, $65 million annually in state education funding and $3 million in host community benefits for the Town of Newburgh and Orange County.
Dubbed Resorts World Hudson Valley, the facility would be a sister to Resorts World Catskills in Kiamesha Lake.
The $32 million project would employ union labor, said Meghan Taylor, Resorts World vice president for government affairs.
“This project would be creating 200 to 225 fulltime jobs with an average annual salary of $74.000 a year including salary and benefits, the large majority of that being union employees from the Hotel Trade Council Union,” she said. “That would mean a total of almost $15.5 million in annual wages here in the Town of Newburgh.”
The construction phase of the project would employ 200 local union workers. Resorts World is currently negotiating a project labor agreement with the Hudson Valley Building Trades Council.
The facility would feature 1,300 video gaming machines, a bar and lounge, and would expect to draw several new businesses to the mall that has 17 vacant storefronts.
Taylor said the resort would pay out $3 million annually as host fees to the Town of Newburgh and Orange County.
The company has submitted studies into the impact on traffic, crime and property values. The town wants to conduct its own independent traffic study.
This video gaming facility would replace the one formerly at Monticello Raceway and would help supplement the funding of the Resorts World Catskills operation.
One who expressed immediate concern about the location was County Legislator Leigh Benton, who represents the Town of Newburgh. He said the facility is within walking distance of the people who could least afford to gamble – many residents from the adjacent City of Newburgh.
