Cuomo to Seek NYC Casinos

Fresh off his first year as New York governor, Andrew Cuomo promises to make "eye-catching" moves next year—including casinos in New York City. He'll start by asking the legislature next week to pass a constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling, he tells the New York Daily News. “I’m not excluding any locations at this time,” he says, although Queens would be better than densely populated Manhattan. “Albany is [also] a real location. Buffalo is a real location.”

Cuomo says the economic uplift from gambling outweighs its apparent social ills—like increased crime and compulsive gambling. No doubt the financial influx would also aid his plans to rebuild roads, bridges, and state agencies after years of budget cuts. In another part of the wide-ranging interview, Cuomo denies any interest in a 2016 White House campaign. “Not at all,” he says. “I’ve been around too long. I’ve heard too much talk. I’ve seen the movie too many times.” (More Andrew Cuomo stories.)