Murren tried to influence the council with big claims like, “You want to see Lady Gaga? I can bring her to Empire City.” That may just happen if MGM is given the green light to convert the Yonkers Raceway into a full-fledged casino property. We want to bring a lot of that content and experience to Westchester County.”
He said, “Sports, whether it’s collegiate, high school or pro, is the future of what we believe to be the entertainment experience. Murren then went onto tell the council about MGM’s role in the construction of T-Mobile Arena and the foundation of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights franchise. Imagine if there were 2,000 or 3,000 more employees.” We have 1,200 employees, some of the greatest men and women in our industry. MGM recently bought the property for $850 million, and Murren would like to add live gaming to a license that already covers harness racing, simulcasting, account wagering and video lottery. MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren recently made a sales pitch to the Business Council of Westchester regarding the Yonkers Raceway and the attached Empire City Casino. While New Jersey sportsbooks have flourished since sports betting was legalized last year, any major development of NY’s gambling infrastructure could spell trouble for the Garden State’s casino industry. MGM Resorts is looking into casino options in New York.
