23-04-2025
Las Vegas Sands drops casino bid at Nassau Coliseum
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — Las Vegas Sands Corp. made a surprising announcement, stating that the company will not be bidding for a casino license in New York.
The American casino and resort company has been associated with a proposed casino project at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.
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In August, Nassau County lawmakers voted to approve a lease for the site, which will be granted to Las Vegas Sands. The company would then need to obtain a casino license from New York State before proceeding.
The statement reads in part:
'We strongly believe in the development opportunity for a land-based downstate casino license in New York. We also continue to believe that the Nassau Coliseum site is the best location for that development opportunity and should be highly competitive in the New York casino licensing process.
However, as we have previously stated, the company remains concerned about the impact of thepotential legalization of iGaming on the overall market opportunity and project returns.
We are in the process of attempting to secure an agreement with a third party to whom we cantransact the opportunity to bid for a casino license on the Nassau Coliseum site. This would include those that may be able to address both land-based and digital markets in New Las Vegas Sands, we believe the highest and best use of our capital in the near term is to purchase Las Vegas Sands and Sands China shares.
Accordingly, Sands has decided not to bid for a casino license in New York.'
Las Vegas Sands stated that if they are unable to secure an agreement allowing a third party to bid for a casino license at the Nassau Coliseum, they will collaborate with Nassau County and other stakeholders to ensure the development aligns with Nassau County's long-term vision for the site.
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Chris Boyle, the Director of Communications for Nassau County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman, released the following statement in response to the announcement:
'County Executive Blakeman has been aware of certain pressures that have factored into Las Vegas Sands' rethinking of land-based brick and mortar casinos in the United States. The County Executive is grateful that Las Vegas Sands is committed to the development of the Coliseum site with or without a casino. However, there is strong interest from gaming organizations that have been in confidential discussions with Nassau County to take the place of Las Vegas Sands in the licensing application process. Nassau County will crystallize within the next 30 days whether or not to entertain a casino component or develop the site without one. In either event, there will be an exciting new development that will create jobs and positive economic activity.'
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
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