Casino in Yorktown?

Slots on 202? It might sound far-fetched, but there is an excellent chance that that is exactly what we’ll wake up and find next year – if Supervisor Grace is allowed to rush through his plan to rezone the privately owned State Land parcel. It explains why they tried to bulldoze it through in a marathon session that lasted until well after midnight, hoping that the distractions of the upcoming election would blind everyone to what’s really going on. And why, despite the two-hour presentation of a detailed plan, what they were submitting, in fact, was no plan at all – which would result in their having as-of-right for the property. It sounds arcane, but it’s not. It’s of critical importance, because it gives the developers the right to build whatever that zoning code allows.

But that doesn’t include a casino, right? I mean, they’re not legal in New York. Think again. Turn over the ballot on Tuesday, and you’ll see that one of the propositions is to allow casinos in New York.

Think about it. Any developer wants to maximize his profits. A casino is hands down the best way to do it. And Grace and Murphy have shown themselves more than eager to do whatever needs to be done to help developers realize their plans, no matter how grandiose or inappropriate for the surrounding area. Murphy’s mantra is jobsjobsjobs – just think of how many people a casino employs. Who would need low-income housing right there, across the street. And then all the other businesses that would come along – check-cashing stores, pawn shops, motels, prostitutes and all-night liquor stores. It’s a growth industry, and if they have their way, we could be in the forefront.

You don’t think so? Call the Supervisor (914-962-5722) and ask him if this isn’t the real plan for State Land. It makes perfect sense; why let all that money disappear to Connecticut or Atlantic City, when we could have it come here? It’s a win-win for everyone. Right?