New York Gaming Facility Location Board Chair Has Never Been To a Casino
Posted on: June 27, 2025, 01:31h.
Last updated on: June 27, 2025, 01:33h.
- The New York Gaming Facility Location Board received eight downstate casino applications
- The five-member Board is currently one member short
- The Board is responsible for deciding where the three casinos are located
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board is tasked with ultimately deciding where the three downstate casinos will operate. Its chair concedes she’s never stepped foot inside one.
Since its formation in 2014, the New York Gaming Facility Location Board has seen much turnover. The comings and goings have resulted in the board not even being fully staffed as its request for applications (RFAs) concluded today, June 27.
Pursuant to the New York State Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering, and Breeding Law, which was amended in 2013 to authorize four upstate and three downstate commercial casinos with slots and live dealer table game privileges, the Gaming Facility Location Board is to consist of five members, including a named chair.
As eight bids were filed ahead of today’s RFA deadline, the Gaming Facility Location Board is a member short, and its chair admits she’s no fan of gambling.
Gaming Facility Board Qualifications
As Bally’s Corp., Caesars Entertainment, the Chickasaw Nation, Genting Group, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts, Mohegan, and Rush Street Gaming presented their multibillion-dollar integrated resort casino concepts in seeking one of the three casino concessions that cost $500 million a pop, NY Gaming Facility Location Board Chair Vicki L. Been told Bloomberg that casinos are “nowhere I want to spend my time.”
Bloomberg added that Been said “she’s never been to a casino.” That poses the question, “Why is she among the handful of people who will decide where the three properties go?”
New York’s gaming authorization law requires only that Gaming Facility Location Board be residents of the state, have a minimum 10 years’ experience in fiscal matters, and have “significant expertise” in “accounting, finance, economics, commercial real estate, and/or as an executive for a large organization.”
Board members also cannot hold elected office, maintain a close relationship with someone with a gaming license, or a person with a direct financial interest or ownership in gaming activities. Board members must also not receive any proceeds from gaming or related consulting.
Appointed in October 2022, Been is the longest-serving member of the current Gaming Facility Location Board. She is the Judge Edward Weinfeld Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, an affiliated professor of public policy of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and a faculty director of NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.
Been has been at NYU since 1990, with her career focus being on land-use, urban policy, and housing matters. She served as deputy mayor of New York City for Housing and Economic Development under Mayor Bill de Blasio from April 2019 through December 2021. That could be why several bids included affordable housing components.
The other Gaming Facility Location Board members are Terryl Brown, who was appointed only in February. Brown is the vice president and general counsel at Pace University. She previously served as deputy commissioner of legal affairs and administration at the New York City Fire Department.
Board members Marion Phillips, III and Greg Reimers were appointed only a month before Brown.
Phillips is the senior vice president for community development and DEI at U.S. News & World Report. He was previously the senior VP of community relations at New York State’s Empire Development.
Reimers is a retired finance executive whose real estate banking career included stints at JPMorgan Chase and The Bank of New York.
Fifth Member Unknown
The New York State Gaming Commission is responsible for appointing the Gaming Facility Location Board Members. Though board members are not compensated, they are entitled to reimbursements for actual and necessary expenses.
It’s unclear when the NYS Gaming Commission might appoint the fifth member, which could prove critical in avoiding deadlock when the Board picks the three winners later this year.
Last Comments ( 3 )
I’ve been, I’ll vote for her! Where do they get these people. Hacks! Her name is Been? What. Ultimately she gets her calculator and figures what bid is best for the state of NY. Genius
Hope they don’t choose Hard Rock. Terrible employer. Treats employees like animals.
Go figure…. Just the thought of dealing with the potentially corrupt government entities makes me nauseous