Where will the roulette wheel stop?

TUXEDO — Don’t finalize your bets just yet, as the Town of Tuxedo is the newest locale for where a developer proposes building a gambling resort.

The Malaysia-based Genting Group presented its proposal to the Town of Tuxedo for a 238-acre gambling resort it wants to build this past Monday.

It’s the latest player in the Orange County mix since voters approved a state amendment last November allowing casino gambling at resorts throughout New York State.

The state is expected to announce where the casinos will be built this fall.

The resort would replace the Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center, which is also home to the New York Renaissance Festival.

Two hotels, 2,000 jobs, Thruway exit

The proposed resort, called Sterling Forest Resort, would continue to operate the renaissance fair in addition to “adding more seasonal festivals to the mix and it would build an Adventure World on the ski center site that would offer skiing, snow tubing, toboggan runs, ice skating rinks and other winter activities,” according to www.crainsnewyork.com.

Two hotels would also be part of the complex.

The Crain’s New York website also reported Genting officials indicated they “already struck a deal with a private entity to own and operate the facility.”

Genting said it will create 2,000 “good-paying” jobs, more than doubling the tax base in the Town of Tuxedo and increasing funding for Orange County, according to Crain’s New York.

The company's plan also includes a new interchange off of the New York State Thruway that Genting would build, a project first proposed 30 years ago to improve traffic flow in the area.

Tuxedo Town Supervisor Michael Rost cautioned the proposal is still in very preliminary stages.

“The process is really just beginning now,” said Rost. “We rolled out the public presentation on Monday. We have to let the people in town take a look at it. We’re doing our due diligence in checking into things.”

Email, web site for information

Genting has set up a public site on the grounds of the Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center so interested parties can review information, Rost said.

Rost said his office has been inundated with calls and emails from town residents about the project. A special email address has been set up so people can email questions or their opinions directly:

resort@tuxedpogov.org
A web site has also been created: www.rwnewyork.com/sterling-forest-resort

“We’ve got a lot of work to do and we need get a feel from the town as to if it’s the right thing for the town,” said Rost. “At the end of the day, it’s what the town feels is in the best interest of the town.”

Within the region, Genting operates the Resorts World Casino in Manhattan, with information available at www.wrnewyork.com, in addition to European and Asian resorts.

To learn more about the Genting Group, visit: www.genting.com.

The other players
Within Orange County, the Genting proposal is now one of four competing in four different towns.

The others are the Cordish and Penn National proposal for a casino at the Cassidy Driving Range on Route 208 in the Town of Blooming Grove.

The Flaum Caesar’s Entertainment proposal to develop a casino in the Town of Woodbury, adjacent to the Metro North Train Station on Route 17 in Harriman.

The Saratoga Casino Raceway proposed by Greenetrack at Stewart Airport in Newburgh.

By Nancy Kriz