Thomas Kaplan and Danny Hakim report on the collapse of New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's $4 billion plan to create the country’s largest convention center and a casino in Queens.
Only unveiled by Cuomo in January, as a centerpiece of his State of the State address, and beset by question marks from the beginning, the project was to have been built by Genting, a Malaysian gambling company, at the Aqueduct racetrack near Kennedy Airport.
According to Kaplan and Hakim, Cuomo announced on Friday that negotiations between the state and Genting had broken down. "The revelation left a fog of uncertainty over Mr. Cuomo's drive to bring casino gambling to New York City, which his administration views as a key source of jobs and revenue. The Genting proposal alone was expected to create 10,000 construction jobs and 10,000 permanent jobs."
Uncertainty over the prospects for Cuomo's efforts to push through a constitutional amendment to create a framework for casinos in the state and Genting's desire for the exclusive right to operate in New York City were cited as the main causes for the deal's collapse.
"On Friday, Mr. Cuomo sought to cast the breakdown of the deal as a positive, saying the state is now entering into discussions with other gambling companies. He said he planned to set up a competitive bidding process and entertain other casino proposals next year."
FULL STORY: Cuomo’s $4 Billion Plan for Project in Queens Falls Apart
Post-Mortem: Why Amazon Canceled the Queens HQ2
New York City and State offered up nearly $3 billion in incentives to lure Amazon and its 25,000 high-paying jobs to Queens only to see the tech company cancel their plans after local opposition materialized. Was their retreat too hasty?
La Guardia AirTrain Plan Moves Forward, Circuitous Route and All
Not everyone thinks the governor’s expensive plan to improve access to the beleaguered airport will actually improve access.
Planning for Housing on Complicated Queens Rail Yard Continues
The 200-acre operational rail yard is the largest of six affordable housing sites that Mayor Bill de Blasio targeted for development. He hopes to build more than 11,000 units of affordable housing there, but Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is not on board.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
Zero-Emission Bus Fleets Grow, But Federal Funding Is in Jeopardy
Transit agencies around the country have purchased over 7,000 zero-emission buses, but a federal program that funds the shift could be eliminated under the new administration.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Wisconsin Governor Opens Window for Regional Transit Authority
The proposed state budget includes a provision that allows local governments to establish a dedicated transit tax.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Strategic Economics Inc
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service