Manhattan is where the most money is, but has historically been a hard sell because few Manhattanites want a casino.Īpprovals hinge on local support. The remaining license does not have to go to the city, just downstate. Regulators may favor two sites that already have gambling - Aqueduct Racetrack and Yonkers Raceway - because the application provides a “speed to market” bonus, said James Featherstonhaugh of Saratoga Casino Holdings, which is working with Joe Sitt's Thor Equities on a Coney Island bid. Technically, three licenses are up for grabs, but only one is likely truly in play.