$11 million push for casinos - Times Union

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/11-million-push-for-casinos-5605501.php[7/8/2014 6:54:08 AM]

Subscribe to Times Union
Subscriber Services
Advertise With Us
Get TV Weekly Magazine
Home News Sports Business Opinion Entertainment Living Blogs Jobs Real Estate Cars Classifieds Index
1 of 8
0
Latest News
Utility pole repaired, Route 20 reopens
Photos: Broadway Camp at Proctors
Rotterdam State of Emergency ends
$11 million push for casinos
Advocates advance their agendas with heavy spending
By J ames M. Odato
Updated 10:22 pm, Monday, J uly 7, 2014
Demolition takes place at the former Alco site on Monday afternoon, J uly 7, 2014 on Nott Street in Schenectady N.Y. This is the
proposed site of the Rivers Casino at Mohawk Harbor. (Selby Smith / Special to the Times Union)

Albany
More than $11 million has been spent by casino
interests to advance their agendas in Albany
over the past two years, the New York Public
Interest Research Group said in a report
released Monday.
The group's analysis arrives as bidding teams
await review of the 17 upstate casino proposals
that were due to the state Gaming Commission
at the end of June. The study focuses on
spending by current advocates of casino
expansion, although many of the bidders were
not on the scene with bids, and some of them
You Might Also Like
Register Sign In Weather Closings Traffic Help
Albany, NY
Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday, J uly 08, 2014
71
F
timesunion.com Businesses
Local Your Town Capitol Confidential Newsletters State Nation World Technology Special Reports School Closings All Stories

1
Share
0
Larger | Smaller
Printable Version
Email This
Font
Wedding photo captures tornado
forming
Behind the city's rent
maneuvers
Crain's New York Business
FEATURED VIDEOS
$11 million push for casinos - Times Union
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/11-million-push-for-casinos-5605501.php[7/8/2014 6:54:08 AM]
Fatal crash renews talk of regulations opposed competition with existing racinos a
year ago.
NYPIRG said parties associated with the
bidders spent $6.7 million on lobbying campaigns in 2012 and 2013. These parties contributed
$4.3 million to state and local political committees during the same period.
Genting, the Malaysia-based entertainment and resort giant that runs Aqueduct Race Track's
racino and is bidding on two Orange County casino sites, spent more than any other operator:
a total of $2.5 million on lobbying and $984,244 in campaign contributions,
NYPIRG reported.
The lobbying firm Patricia Lynch Associates, whose chief client was Genting, topped a list of
the highest combined compensation and expenses at $855,708. Cordo & Co., also a Genting
lobbyist, was second on the list at $840,325.
Among the Capital Region teams applying for a casino license, the Capital View Casino group
seeking to build in East Greenbush topped $423,000 in campaign contributions, followed by
the Galesi Group, which is trying to build in Schenectady, at $45,515. Michael Malik and Emil
Galasso, partners trying to get a licenses for Howes Cave in Schoharie County, combined for
$17,650.
The top lobbying spending and compensation in the region came from the Hard Rock/Capital
District Off-Track Betting team, at $41,826.
Updated campaign donation data for the past six months will be available from the state
July 15.
The NYPIRG report misses some money spent in the past two years, including sums spent on
lobbying in localities with populations smaller than 50,000, where state law does not require
reporting of lobbyist activities.
NYPIRG did not track money spent on anti-casino efforts unless the funds were reflected in
public filings, and it did not consider spending by some of the in-state native tribes that may or
may not be supporting gambling competition.
The lobbying spending should have no impact on the decision on which applicants get awarded
casino licenses. The New York Gaming Commission's siting board is treating the matter as a
procurement process, and state leaders are supposed to refrain from talking to representatives
of bidding teams.
Formal, public presentations by the teams will be scheduled for later this month by the
Gaming Commission.
Also Monday, the commission added Kevin S. Law and Dennis E. Glazer to its independent
siting board, which will oversee the valuations of 17 bids for four casino licenses.
Law, of the Long Island Association, and Glazer, a lawyer, join Stuart Rabinowitz, Paul Francis
and William Thompson on the siting board. Glazer is a retired partner at the international law
firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Glazer has been married since 1981 to Westchester County
District Attorney Janet DiFiore, who also served as chairwoman of the state Joint Commission
on Public Ethics.
jodato@timesunion.com 518-454-5083 @JamesMOdato
You Might Also Like
Photo Galleries
Local photos National photos Weather photos

LATEST NEWS
Utility pole repaired, Route 20
reopens
LATEST ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Prayer vigil held for comedian
injured with Morgan
Take Today's Poll
Do you have an overall positive or
Printable Version Email This 0 1 Share 0
CEO of Kaiser
Permanente Tells
Employees to Exercise
Missed Signs of Lyme
Disease: What To Do If
Your Doctor Doesnt
Ray Kelly Tried to Stop
Actor's Early Prison
Release After NYPD
Why MAZDA6 Is Being
Called " As Close To
Perfect As You Can Get"
4 Things You Need to Know
About Taxable Wages
Patriot Software
The Many Faces of Lymphoma
Celgene
Could You Have MS? Multiple
Sclerosis Symptoms You
Should Never Ignore
WebMD
$11 million push for casinos - Times Union
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/11-million-push-for-casinos-5605501.php[7/8/2014 6:54:08 AM]
From Around the Web
Iconic World War 1 Photo Turns Out to be a
Fictional Composite (University of London)
Here's a Foolproof Plan for Saying Goodbye to
Debt and Hello to a Fat Savings Account
(Fidelity)
If you think VAT is just about tax, you're wrong!
(EY)
What Made William Shakespeare the World's
Greatest Wordsmith (University of London)
Would You Buy a House With a Septic System?
(Allstate Blog)
On Keystone XL: Engineers, Scientists and
Experts Say Yes (Energy Tomorrow)
We Recommend
Four arrested for food stamp fraud
Ex-Albany cop loses bid to avoid jail
A court win for Porco
2 accused of attack on Clifton Park bar's
patrons
Union College student from Rotterdam wins
Goldwater award
Flurry of motions in Bruno case
World and national news
Displaying 1-4 of 12
EXCHANGE: Grayslake
man protecting blue
herons
Gandhi to join Churchill,
Mandela in London
square
Iraqi parliament sets new
date for next session
Afghan candidate says
Obama, Kerry called him
Recommended by
Top Jobs
negative opinion of the job Bill Demchak
is doing as the CEO of PNC Bank?
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Somewhat negative
Very negative
No strong opinion
DISPATCHERS Full-time
candidates needed to receive & dispatch emergency
road service cal... more
MORE
Their Freedom of
LinkedIn: Relationships
Catch
Shea Medical
DNAinfo Road & Track
Show: 10 | 20 | 50
(0) Comments
powered by:
Record video
Upload video
Upload image
Submit
Follow
Newest
There are no comments yet.
TIMES UNION
News
Local News
Your Town
Capitol Confidential
Nation
World
Sports
High School Sports
Opinion
Business
Technology
Living
Entertainment
Movies
Television
Restaurants
Events Calendar
Comics
Games
Blogs
Weather
Obituaries
Births
Weddings/Celebrations
Photos and Video
Archives
518 Life
Women@Work
Explore/Travel
SERVICES
Help/Contact Us
Copyright/Reprint
Classroom Enrichment
Privacy Policy
California Privacy Rights
Terms of Service
Mobile site
E-Edition
Newsletters
HOME DELIVERY
Newspaper Subscription
Subscriber Services
Deliver the Paper
MARKETPLACE
Cars
J obs
Homes
Classifieds
Hope Fund
Business Directory
Shopping/Coupons
Find&Save Local Shopping
Purchase Photos
Today's Print Ads
Place an Ad
Info for Advertisers
Ad Choices
Submit
Submit
Newest
$11 million push for casinos - Times Union
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/11-million-push-for-casinos-5605501.php[7/8/2014 6:54:08 AM]

2014 The Hearst Corporation