ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to build a casino and convention center in Queens has fallen through, and now the governor says he’s opening up the bids to more companies. Cuomo’s change of plans comes amid reports that the gambling company Genting contributed over $2 million to a lobby group closely associated with the governor. The governor first announced last week during a radio show hosted by former Governor David Paterson that the centerpiece of Cuomo’s 2012 State of the State proposal had fallen through.
Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that a lobbying group closely associated with Cuomo had received $2 million dollars from Genting last December, just as the Governor was putting together his priorities for the New Year.
Cuomo says he ended the deal with Genting because the gambling corporation wanted certain guarantees, including a stipulation that it would not face competition from other gambling parlors.
Lawmakers approved first passage of a constitutional amendment to permit gambling earlier this year, but it needs the approval of two consecutively elected legislatures, plus the voters, so the earliest casinos could be allowed would be late in 2013. Cuomo now says he wants to see the constitutional amendment passed first, then open up the bidding from gambling companies.
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