Video slot machines and a hotel complex have finally been approved for Aqueduct Racetrack after years of planning and political delays.
Gov. David Paterson and lawmakers gave Delaware North Cos. of Buffalo the go-ahead Thursday for 4,500 of the lucrative machines in a 328,000-foot gaming and entertainment complex. The full project will eventually include a hotel with as many as 500 rooms, a spa, a 60,000-foot conference center, a 3,000-seat “event center,” and up to 30,000-square feet of retail space.
The deal with Delaware North includes a $370 million upfront payment to the state. The slots will operate through the Lottery Division and provide the state at least $10.3 billion earmarked for education over 30 years.
An opening date wasn’t available.
