NYC residents say Water Club's planned casino is a bad gamble
The Water Club, an upscale restaurant and event venue moored on 30th Street and the East River in Kips Bay, is rolling the dice to become the Big Apple’s first casino with live gaming — but some locals aren’t all in.
“There should not be a casino there, and I’m not even happy that the Water Club is there,” Community Board 6 member Anton Mallner said at a meeting Thursday night. Others called the idea for a 24,000 square foot casino with 450 feet of “open deep water pier” for more gaming space a “horrible” idea, citing concerns of traffic and rowdy high rollers.
But board member Daniel Devine said casinos are the economic engine needed to compete with major cities like Hong Kong, Madrid and Singapore.
“I would love for it to be in our district,” he said. “We really have to think about the long term viability of the tax base in New York.”
“There already is a casino in New York, and it’s on Rockaway Boulevard (Queens), so I encourage you to go and enjoy,” cracked board member Sandra McKee.
New York currently has a moratorium on adding new casinos till the end of 2023, but Gov. Hochul wants to speed up the process and award three downstate licenses this year if it gets approved in the state budget.
In addition to the Water Club, 30 groups including major players such as Hard Rock International, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts submitted requests for information to the state Gaming Commission last fall.
Though an avid gambler herself, Diane Liotta said doesn’t want to place her bets on a casino near her home on 39th Street for fear of it attracting unseemly characters.
“I was playing the slots at the Borgata one time, and someone just came up and snatched my purse right out of my lap,” she told The Post.
“Rowdy people have never been allowed into any of my establishments in my career,” Water Club owner, Micahel “Buzzy” O’Keeffe, said in a phone interview. “We set a tone that proper behavior is expected.”
The state has only four commercial casinos — with live table games like blackjack, craps and roulette — not operated by Native American tribes, and none are in the city. The Empire City Casino in Yonkers, Resorts World Casino in Queens and Jake’s 58 on Long Island are considered “video lottery terminals” because they offer only slot machines, electronic poker and off-track betting.
