MGM New York Exit Doesn’t Warrant Investigation, Says Governor, Trump Denies Meddling
Posted on: October 17, 2025, 10:19h.
Last updated on: October 17, 2025, 10:20h.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul won’t probe MGM’s decision to fold on its Yonkers casino plan
- The Trump Organization is denying any role in the shocking announcement
MGM Resorts’ shocking decision to withdraw from the downstate New York casino bidding left many bewildered, with some, including Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano (D), saying the company’s explanations weren’t good enough. The top lawmaker in the Empire State, however, says an investigation into the company’s decision isn’t warranted.
After MGM folded on its $2.3 billion plan to overhaul its racino in Yonkers into an entertainment destination seeming plucked from the Las Vegas Strip, Spano said the decision “defies all logic.” The long-tenured mayor called on the governor to “launch an independent investigation” into what led to MGM scrapping its plans to overhaul Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts into a full-scale casino with slot machines, live dealer table games, and sports betting.
I have no evidence to suspect that there’s any wrongdoing in this decision-making. I think MGM made their own, probably financial, decision based on what their needs are,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said on Thursday. “I would say I share the mayor’s disappointment that this did not continue, but at this time, I am not aware of any reason to launch an investigation.”
MGM’s exit significantly improves the odds that Bally’s Bronx, previously seen as a long shot for one of the three downstate casino concessions, secures one of the permits.
Trump Connection
President Donald Trump’s family business group, The Trump Organization, sold the management lease of the New York City-owned golf course at Ferry Point Park in the Bronx in 2019. The transaction was reportedly $60 million.
The terms came with the stipulation that if Bally’s manages to gain permission to build a casino at the Ferry Point Golf Links, the company would need to pay The Trump Organization a $115 million supplement.
MGM’s exit, some alleged, was possibly due to pressure from the White House. Steve Witkoff, among the president’s closest advisors regarding the Middle East, also has links to the Bally’s bid, as he’s consulted on the project. Witkoff is the special envoy to the Middle East and Peace Missions.
The president, through his business, denied playing any role in MGM’s pullout.
The Trump Organization had absolutely nothing to do with MGM’s decision to withdraw its bid for a casino license in Yonkers. Even the slightest suggestion otherwise is completely false, irresponsible, and pure speculation,” a statement from The Trump Organization read.
“According to a statement from MGM, the decision to withdraw its bid was due to what the company described as a ‘shift’ in the ‘competitive and economic assumptions’ underpinning their application — including the fact that the state had reduced the length of the proposed license from 30 to 15 years. Instead of lodging false and unsubstantiated allegations, Mayor Spano may want to focus his energy on improving his own city and answering the persistent allegations of nepotism and conflict of interest that have plagued his administration for over a decade,” the statement continued.
Three Bids Remain
Along with Bally’s $4 billion bid in the Bronx, Resorts World’s application remains to transform its Queens Aqueduct racino into a full casino through a $5.5 billion investment. Billionaire Steve Cohen is partnered with Hard Rock on an $8 billion proposal at his Citi Field Ballpark at Willets Point in Queens.
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to award licenses by the end of the year.
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