Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts Continues to Invest in Bronx Workforce Development Programs with Donation to Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Since MGM Resorts acquired Empire City five years ago, the Bronx has been at the forefront of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts to build strong local communities. 

Empire City has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous nonprofit organizations that deliver critical services and programs.

Yonkers, NY – Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts (“Empire City”) may be located two miles beyond the Bronx border in Westchester County, but the entertainment and gaming destination continues to be “all in” on its philanthropic support of the borough. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been directed to numerous Bronx nonprofits to fund and support programs within the company’s core philanthropic focus areas, which include food insecurity programs to ensure residents have access to nutritious meals, educational programs that support academic success, and workforce development initiatives providing educational and training programs to prepare individuals for sustainable career opportunities. 

As part of Empire City’s commitment to workforce development, Empire City recently made a surprise funding announcement to the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation at a recent workforce and business resource fair held at Yankee Stadium. The $10,000 grant will support the foundation’s workforce development initiatives throughout the Bronx and ensure job opportunities for the next generation of Bronx leaders. This donation builds upon previous financial support Empire City has provided to support the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation to allow the nonprofit to grow and train the borough’s future workforce.

“More than one-third of Empire City’s workforce call the Bronx home, and supporting our neighbors is part of our company culture,” said Taryn Duffy, Vice President of Public Affairs at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. “In the five years since MGM Resorts acquired Empire City, our commitment to the communities of the Bronx has been unwavering, and we are so proud to support the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s workforce development efforts that will help prepare Bronxites for career opportunities.” 

“We are grateful for the longstanding partnership with Empire City Casino,” said Lisa Sorin, President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “Their ongoing support allows us to implement workforce development programs throughout the borough. We look forward to continuing this partnership as they work to secure a full gaming license which will create thousands of new family sustaining jobs and expand opportunities for Bronx businesses as providers of goods and services.”

Empire City supports numerous other Bronx organizations with funds to support programs providing services aligned with its three philanthropic pillars. Through the company’s workforce development and homelessness initiatives, Empire City provides workforce development grants to VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit provider of free services for visually impaired individuals and their families. BronxWorks, a local nonprofit that provides key services to uplift and empower Bronx communities, has also received grants to fund the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program for youth aged kindergarten through fifth grade. 

Nonprofit organizations also heavily rely on the services of volunteers to supplement their typically limited staff. Volunteerism is core to the culture at MGM Resorts properties across the globe, with employees having exceeded more than 1.12 million volunteer hours to charitable organizations as outlined in the company’s recent 2023 Social Impact Report.  Empire City team members have donated over 1,000 hours of their time to support local nonprofits. Examples include neighborhood beautification efforts and graffiti cleanups in the Mount Eden district of the Bronx and in the White Plains Road Business Improvement District corridors, food packing events with Food Bank of New York City in their Hunts Point headquarters,  as well as funding a pop up food pantry in a known food desert in the borough through their partnership with Catholic Charities to help address food insecurity, especially during recent times of rising inflation.  

Bronx students headed back to school for the 2023-2024 school year with backpacks and supplies donated by companies like Empire City, which expanded its backpack donation this year to support more students in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and the Bronx. Empire City is also a longtime supporter of local community events such as the Summer Concert Series presented by the Bronx Borough President’s office, as the company continues to serve as a popular entertainment destination of choice for many Bronx residents. 

Empire City Casino’s philanthropic programming supports non-profit organizations that provide direct services for residents in the local communities in which it operates, as well as where its employees reside.  To learn more, please visit  Community Engagement – Empire City Casino.

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About Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts

Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts is one of the largest entertainment and gaming destinations in the northeast. Featuring nearly 4,700 of the hottest slots, electronic three card poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat and sic bo table games, Empire City Casino also offers guests year-round harness racing and international simulcasting; live entertainment including the best party, tribute, and Latin bands; New York’s hottest DJ’s, and more. A selection of dining options will satisfy even the most discerning palate with fan-favorite fare at The Pub, and convenient delicious options at Lil’ Cocina and the Big Kitchen International Food Court. Visit Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts located at 810 Yonkers Avenue (off I-87 at Central Avenue) Yonkers, NY, Westchester County, open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Empire City Casino is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit www.empirecitycasino.com or call (914) 968-4200. 

Media Contacts:

Josh Knoller, Nicholas & Lence Communications, (201) 294-9586, josh@nicholaslence.com 

Maria Cray, Nicholas & Lence Communications, (508) 245-6564, maria@nicholaslence.com