(Yonkers, NY) — Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins today applauded the Community Advisory Committee’s unanimous 5-0 vote in favor of granting a full casino license to MGM Empire City in Yonkers, marking an important step toward expanding opportunities for the city and surrounding communities.

“MGM Empire City has been part of the fabric of Yonkers for generations, providing good jobs and vital revenue that supports our city,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. “This vote brings us closer to building on that foundation, unlocking thousands of new jobs, new investments, and greater opportunities for the people of Yonkers and Westchester. I am proud to see our community move forward together in support of a project that will deliver lasting benefits for our families and our future.”

Senator Stewart-Cousins appointed Larry Wilson, President of the Hyatt Community Association of Southeast Yonkers, to the Community Advisory Committee to ensure that residents’ interests were represented. Mr. Wilson voted with “high hopes and unbridled optimism” to grant a full casino gaming license to MGM Empire City of Yonkers.  

“Senator Stewart-Cousins has always shown an abiding concern for her constituents in southeast Yonkers who live in the neighborhoods surrounding Empire City,” said Mr. Wilson. “It was important to her to make sure that their quality of life would not be compromised by this development.”

If approved, the full casino license would allow MGM Empire City to expand beyond its current racetrack-casino operations into a full-scale gaming facility with live table games, creating thousands of permanent jobs and generating significant tax revenue for the state and local community.

The final licensing decision will be made in December by the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 25, 2025 | Contact: Gregory Totino, (518) 391-5107; totino@nysenate.gov