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(Yonkers, NY) — MGM has abruptly pulled its bid for a commercial casino license in Yonkers, just weeks after the plan was approved.
MGM says based on new guidance from the state, they expect they would only qualify for a 15-year license instead of 30 years. They also say there is a newly defined competitive landscape, with four proposals clustered in a small area, a reference to other casino bids in the New York City area.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is outraged at the decision, calling for Governor Hochul to launch an investigation into the process. He says the reasons MGM gave don’t add up, and speculates President Trump influenced the decision.
The finalists for the New York City casino licenses are now Resorts World, Metropolitan Park, and Bally’s Bronx (on the former Trump golf course, renamed Bally’s Ferry Point).
The New York Gaming Commission is expected to announce up to three awarded licenses by early December so that the project proposals can move forward with plans in 2026.
