The cards are being shuffled and four lucky winners are gambling on a winning hand in gaming in New York.
The Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center and Genting Americas, part of an international gaming conglomerate, hosted an afternoon meet and greet at the popular ski center that abuts Sterling Forest and is adjacent to Harriman State Park.
The addition of the long-discussed New York Thruway 15B interchange, which would be part of the Sterling Forest Resort plan, could relieve congestion on Rt. 17 and be beneficial to both the Village of Sloatsburg and Town of Tuxedo, according to Town of Tuxedo Supervisor Mike Rost.
The official public presentation of Sterling Forest Resort to the town itself takes place Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Tuxedo Town Board meeting, and scheduled for George F. Baker High School auditorium. Genting will present a six minute video that gives its overall project plan for Sterling Forest Resort, a proposed gaming and entertainment complex complete with casino, two luxury hotels, the ski resort, and next door Renaissance Faire village.
The plan includes two large hotels, one bigger than the other. Between them, and connected to them, would be the spacious gaming floor, with its own separate entrance. The gambling part of the equation is the interest driver and key component, according to Genting Americas. A resort development like the proposed Sterling Forest wouldn’t be possible without the gambling ingredient. Only four licenses will be approved, for now, in the NY gaming lotto.
The development would involve 238-acre property in Orange County right off Route 17A and would include $25 million toward paying for the long-dormant 15B interchange off the New York State Thruway. The exit would presumably allow resort traffic to bypass the narrow Rt. 17 corridor that runs through Sloatsburg and Tuxedo, thereby helping to relieve both communities of large traffic impact.
Tuxedo Town Supervisor Mike Rost said in an article by Jessica DiNapoli in the Time Herald-Record that 15B interchange would be a critical piece of the casino proposal and provide benefits to Tuxedo.
Rost said the Monday meeting is a presentation of the project by Genting and public questions are encouraged. The Town Board will not take any vote on the project at this time.
Architectural rendering of the how Sterling Forest Resort in Tuxedo, NY would look. Design elements mimic certain features of Tuxedo Park homes.
DiNapoli’s article details overall Genting gaming proposal, which is one of several other bids to land of the four gaming licenses that New York state will award in the fall. In all, approximately 22 applicants are putting together proposals for gaming proposals for sites from the Catskills to Orange County, and eventually New York City itself.
The Sterling Forest Resort proposal is unique in that it is envisioned as an entertainment destination, with the casino built between the two hotel complex as a main draw. Genting would upgrade the ski center and create a whole host of adventure sport features while also upgrading and maintaining the Renaissance Faire village next door as part of the resort’s overall attraction.
The projected cost for the proposal range from $400 to $750 million dollars and would include infrastructure and environmental costs.
Public support of casino proposals in their towns, village and counties will be a major consideration during the state’s review of applicant plans.
Update: The Presentation on Wednesday, April 30, at 7 p.m. by Genting Americas representatives will now be held at Saint Mary’s Church in Tuxedo Park. The public will be able to ask questions with a similar format to the town’s meeting Monday.
