A New York man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly threatening to injure workers at New York’s Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel. He claimed he was planning to bring a firearm to the Long Island gaming property, police revealed.
Joshua Hurt, 28, of Wheatley Heights, N.Y., was charged with making a threat of mass harm, News 12, a New York cable TV news channel, reported. He was scheduled to appear in Central Islip court on Sunday.
The threat was posted on an unnamed online travel site on July 30, News 12 added. Suffolk County Police apprehended Hurt in Dix Hills, N.Y., on Saturday.
Jake’s 58 is located in Islandia, N.Y. It has more than 1,000 video gaming terminals (VGTs).
VGTs are similar to slot machines. But spin results are based on a network linking all the terminals. In contrast, with a traditional slot, each device randomly determines if the bet is a winner, and is not dependent on other machines’ outcomes.
The property also has four Off-Track Betting kiosks with racing simulcast monitors. The hotel has 200 guest rooms and several restaurants, too.
Jake’s 58 Sold
Jake’s 58 opened in 2017. Last year, Delaware North divested the Islandia, N.Y., casino hotel to Suffolk Off-Track Betting Corporation (Suffolk OTB) for $120 million.
New York State has included up to three new gaming licenses in downstate New York in a recent budget. New York Mayor Eric Adams wants two of these venues in New York City, the New York Post reported.
The licensing fee for each of the casinos will be at least $500 million. The initial licenses will be good for at least 10 years, but not for more than 30 years.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is trying to bring a casino to unused land near Citi Field, home of the Mets, in Queens, N.Y. It is believed Hard Rock International and Las Vegas Sands are running first and second in that competition.
In all likelihood, Cohen and all other parties interested in a New York casino are vying for a single license. But it is expected two will be awarded to MGM Resorts’ Empire City in Yonkers, N.Y. and Resorts World New York City in Queens. That will allow these gaming sites to convert to traditional casinos from slots-only venues.
Cohen is the founder of the Point72 Asset Management hedge fund based in Stamford, Conn. His earlier fund, S.A.C. Capital Advisors, has shuttered.
Online Sports Betting
In a related matter, for the first time, New York’s online sports betting market failed to generate a $1 billion handle for a month. Bettors in the Empire State wagered $800.8 million for the month of July, according to the New York State Gaming Commission.
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