Aqueduct racino on a winning streak as gamblers flock to Queens’ glitzy new gaming house Resorts World draws 65,000 in first three days
BY Irving Dejohn NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Kathy Kmonicek/AP
The Resorts World New York’s newly opened racino at the Aqueduct Racetrack is doing a brisk business.
A week into Queens’ first foray into gambling, one thing is certain so far: The house is winning.
The newly opened racino at the Aqueduct Racetrack saw a surge of gamers on their opening weekend that continued throughout the rest of the week.
In the first three days alone, more than 65,000 patrons anted up at the new Queens attraction in South Ozone Park. “We were truly humbled by the astounding welcome we received on opening weekend — this reception exceeded everyone’s expectations,” said Michael Speller, president of Resorts World New York.
By midweek, the hour-long lines had subsided, but throngs of people were still feeding dollar bills into games such as “Wheel of Fortune” and “Sex and the City.”
“These machines are amusing but you have to proceed with caution,” said Dennis Dugo, a retired sanitation worker and lifelong Aqueduct visitor who was playing the game “Rickety Cricket.”
Unlike horse racing, which has 20-minute breaks, the electronic action happens fast, he said.
“The emotions can go from high to low very quickly,” said Dugo, 56. “In 20 minutes a lot of money can go and come.”
Robert Marchione, 41, fed $20 bills into a video craps machine last Wednesday, but lady luck wasn’t with him that afternoon.
“I won the other night and I gave it back today,” said the Ozone Park construction company owner.
Marchione said he didn’t notice any difference between handling chips and dice in Atlantic City and manipulating a computer screen in his own backyard.
“It’s pretty much the same except the 2 1/2-hour ride,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”
Local businesses, which many racino advocates said would benefit from the tourism, reported mixed results in the first week.
“There was a lot of driving traffic and foot traffic,” said Premo Arjun, owner of a pawn shop on Rockaway Blvd. “As for people from the casino coming here, not really.”
John Antz, owner of the Aqua Rock Service Station, said casino officials approached him to do the maintenance on executives’ cars. “It’s just minor stuff. It can’t hurt,” he said.
Of the 1,350 permanent racino employees that have been hired or extended offers, 945 are from Queens — 70% of the workforce — said racino spokesman Stefan Friedman.
NYPD officials said opening weekend went smoothly.
“For us it’s an unknown. It’s a blank board,” Capt. Thomas Pascale, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, told Community Board 10 members last Thursday. A milestone for the glitzy gaming hub will be when horse racing returns this weekend, said Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton.
“Not only is the casino open but the Breeders’ Cup will be taking place,” she said. “You have both draws at the same time.”
Leroy Gadsden, head of the Jamaica chapter of the NAACP, expressed concern over the social impact of the racino, specifically “gambling addiction, domestic violence and divorce.”
“We’ll need more programs to help with those families affected by it." he said.
Meanwhile, the push to allow for live table gaming at the site picked up an important backer last week. Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee Chairman Gary Pretlow told the Daily News he’s open to converting the racino into a full-fledged casino.
The next phase of the project, which will cater to upper-tier visitors, is slated to open at the end of December along with the construction of an indoor skywalk linking the subway and casino.
Metropolitan Transit Authority officials said no concrete deal is in place yet for the skywalk. “Discussions are ongoing with Resorts World/Genting regarding the entrance,” agency spokesman Kevin Ortiz said in a statement.