Tioga Downs to learn its casino fate today

This is a decision local leaders, residents, and Tioga Downs Owner Jeff Gural have been anxiously awaiting since the racino applied for a full casino license during the first round of bidding a year ago. It reopened for harness racing after getting the green light to install video lottery terminals.

Gural beefed up his proposal in the second round of bidding and the location board has appeared to warm to his plan.

In his second application, Gural put up more equity and shed more debt associated with the project, Law said.

Tioga is the fourth project to be endorsed for a casino license under the state’s new expanded gambling law, which Cuomo promised would help turn around upstate New York’s long-term economic decline.

The Southern Tier, a largely rural region of rolling hills nestled against the Pennsylvania border, was once home to several large manufacturing plants, but most closed years ago.

The Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to announce its recommendation to the state’s Gaming Commission at a meeting Wednesday in New York City. “It’s great news, because we’re in a bit of a slump”.

“There is a whole lot more than lipstick with this application”, said Kevin Law, the head of the siting board. He said this time around, Tioga Downs’ plan is much stronger.

The proposal now goes to the Gaming Commission, which will conduct criminal background checks of the development team and finalize other reviews before the casino license is formally awarded.

All three board members spoke highly of the new proposal, which has Tioga Downs contributing $138 million toward the project. He also said it would boost state tax revenue. That casino site is less than a half hour away from Finger Lakes Thoroughbred racetrack, and a horsemen’s group at that track has sounded alarms about Finger Lakes’ future if the Lago casino is ever built.

The New York Gaming Facility Location Board has just selected Tioga Downs for the state’s final full casino gaming license.