BCW Statement on MGM’s Withdrawal of Casino Bid for Empire City Yonkers

The Business Council of Westchester and our coalition, A Sure Bet for New York’s Future, are deeply disappointed by today’s announcement that MGM Empire City will withdraw from the casino licensing process.   Throughout the many years of this effort, we have fought tirelessly with the MGM Empire City team to ensure that this important local business — one of the largest private employers in New York’s third largest city — would be given the opportunity to compete for a full-scale commercial casino license, which would have allowed MGM to directly hire 2,000 new employees. This decision to withdraw from the licensing process is devastating news for the City of Yonkers, the County of Westchester, and our entire region. MGM Empire City boasts an annual payroll of nearly $100 million and employs more than 1,000 individuals. The Casino generates more than $300 million in tax revenues alone each year to fund state education, and millions for state and local governments. As of January 2025, MGM Empire City had generated more than $5 billion for state education, with more than $1.3 billion contributed in the past five years alone. The loss of these sustainable, full-time jobs and the billions in new economic activity that would have accompanied this project represents a major setback for economic development, workforce opportunity, and community growth across the Hudson Valley and beyond. There are no winners when good jobs, local investment, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen New York’s competitiveness are lost. The Business Council of Westchester and A Sure Bet for New York’s Future remain proud of the coalition of businesses, community organizations, labor groups, and nonprofits that came together to support MGM Empire City. We urge state leaders to continue pursuing policies that prioritize local economic growth, job creation, and investment in the communities that need it most.