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Genting announced in a statement that its Resort World racino:

..“has surpassed the Las Vegas Strip, Pennsylvania, Atlantic City, Connecticut and all other locales to become the single largest gross slot gaming revenue and tax-generating gaming property in all the United States.”   [TheDay.com]

Wow, seriously?  Right here at our own Big A?  In terms of revenue handed over to the state, it's not even close. 

According to Resorts World, the $40 million received by the state from the Aqueduct racino in May far exceeded the amounts other states collect from gaming operations.  The 41 Las Vegas Strip casinos contributed about $30 million to Nevada in April and the 12 casinos in Atlantic City paid $18.3 million to New Jersey, Resorts World reported.  Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casinos together generated $28 million for Connecticut in May. [Daily Politics]

We haven't looked at the win per machine for awhile; remember it dropped off after the inflated numbers when there weren't that many machines during the soft opening.  Been a steady climb throughout the year, but just recently has it consistently exceeded the $380 per machine figure that NYRA used as an estimate on which to base its purses (since reduced at lower claiming levels after the New York Times decided that those prizes were behind the spate of breakdown on the inner track).  Last five weeks were $413/$380/$388/$371.  Gonna be close as to whether they can maintain that $380 number throughout the year; if you look at historical Yonkers data, April/May is just about the peak period of the year.

Nonetheless, it's a lot of money, really impressive on one level, kinda really depressing on another.  And Genting took the opportunity to tout the numbers and offer the first pushback from the racinos since Governor Cuomo threw ice cold water on the subsequently and suddenly mum NYGA's aspirations to get exclusive casino rights.   

  Genting officials said the May revenue figures bolster their argument that they are best suited to operate a full-fledged casinos.  “This is a partnership that works,” [RSNY President Michael] Speller said. [Daily News] 

Additionally, the Resorts World press release included this quote attributed to Representative Gary Pretlow, chairman of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee: 

“As New York State proceeds down the path of full legalized gaming, it is crucial that taxpayers and students not get shortchanged in the process....As evidenced by Resorts World’s May figures, the state’s education system greatly benefits from our current gaming structure. Any changes to that structure must ensure that students get more, not less, of the revenue that gaming brings to the state.” [Politics on the Hudson]

The governor however made it quite clear what he thinks of the racinos (a "scandal"), and I don't see where these numbers are going to change his mind.  He's probably thinking of all the additional revenue that could be flowing to the state if so much of it wasn't going to "subsidize" that damn horse racing industry.

Meanwhile, Cuomo's office has prepared the New York State Racing Franchise Accountability and Transparency Act of 2012.  That's the legislation that will effectively put him in control of NYRA for three years, thereby making it more....well....accountable and transparent.  And compliant, and subservient to his wishes and whims.   He could probably even score a primo box at Saratoga if, that is, he had any real interest in anything other than squeezing more money out of the arrangement.

It’s believed the proposed law will be adopted this week before the Legislature concludes business. However, it’s unknown when actual appointments to the NYRA board will be made.

The process of conducting required background checks of prospective appointees is time-consuming. {Saratogian]

And as the supreme head of NYRA, Cuomo might want to put the kibosh on any talk of Catskill OTB operating in the void left by the closure of NYC-OTB.  That would only erode all the hard work and significant gains that NYRA has made to attract on-track and online customers at the higher takeout rates they provide.  Capitol Confidential reports that the bill is on the agenda in both legislative houses. 

When NYC OTB went under, New York City GOP Senators, Andrew Lanza and Mary Golden caught flack from DC-37, the union representing the now-laid off OTB workers, for their voting with the majority not to rescue the organization.

If the GOP-controlled Senate were to support another OTB in New York, along with hiring back the DC-37 workers, it could go a long way toward repairing relations between the union the senators — always a good thing in an election year.

And we always know where the priorities of the GOP-controlled Senate lies.