Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway may not have the widespread name recognition of Atlantic City or the desert oasis of Las Vegas, but it”™s playing for keeps in luring gamers from the New York metropolitan region.
The casino recently installed electronic roulette video gaming machines to further contend with its competitors in casino nightlife.
A 40,000-square-foot expansion is also planned, said Bob Galterio, general manager.
“It”™s on the books and is still in architectural design mode, but it will give us more room for table games and loosen up floor slot density,” he said.
“We”™ve also been talking about maybe putting in a fourth restaurant and down the line, hopefully putting in a new parking garage.”
A ”˜new dimension”™ in the gaming experience
Empire City Casino opened in 2006 as part of a $225 million racetrack expansion.
The facility grew to house 5,300 slot machines and has become the third casino in New York state to offer electronic roulette video gaming machines.
“It plays just like a Las Vegas roulette table, the only difference is you don”™t have a live dealer there collecting the chips,” Galterio said. “We now have four tables ”“ two with a video image of a person ”“ and there are 10 seats at each table. Business (has) been very good the first two weeks of operation.”
Galterio said Empire City could add several more e-roulette machines early this month and video gaming table machines for baccarat and craps will likely follow in the coming year.
The state division of the lottery leases the gaming machines from manufacturers, which then install them in the casino. A fee of $15 per day, per seat is paid by the casino, Galterio said. The casinos earn approximately 35 percent of the revenue, according to the American Gaming Association.
Empire City”™s e-roulette machines include the IGT M-P Seriesâ„¢ multi-player suite and the Vegas Star series from Shuffle Master Inc. provided by Gtech and Spielo. They are equipped with high-definition LCD gaming screens.
Casino President Timothy Rooney called the e-roulette gaming machines an “exciting new dimension” in the Yonkers gaming experience.
Gross gaming revenue at $1 billion statewide
The racino sits on Yonkers Avenue just steps away from the New York State Thruway, which beckons curious customers from billboards strategically placed in high-traffic areas along I-87 in New York City.
Discretionary income may not be as prevalent as it once was, but those trying their hand at luck or loftily looking for a fast track to retirement appear to be spending. The New York Lottery last week saw its largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, coming in at $355 million, citing strong sales as a driver in the jackpot increase.
“I wouldn”™t say we”™ve seen less traffic,” Galterio said of gaming activity at the Yonkers casino. “We have seen less of a ”˜spend”™ per person, but we”™re getting more people. Our facility is only four years old, but we”™re still ramping up. There”™s about a 7 to 10 percent increase each year.”
Since Empire City”™s opening four years ago, an estimated $50 million has been contributed yearly by the casino and state lottery to the city of Yonkers.
According to the American Gaming Association, gross gaming revenue from the state of New York”™s eight racinos stands at more than $1 billion; about half is allocated for state and local governments.
Comments 1