- Resorts World Hudson Valley will open in Newburgh, New York on December 28, 2022.
- The property is occupying part of the dilapidated Newburgh Mall.
- The RWVH will feature RWHV will feature 50,000 square feet of gaming and hospitality space including 1,200 state-of-the-art slot machines and electronic table games. The Resort World Bet Sports Bar will take your sporting wagers.
There’s plenty of good choices for the dubious distinction of ‘worst trend in the US gaming industry’. Were I to pick one off the top of my head I’d have to go with the ‘mini-trend’ of gaming facilities opening in run down shopping malls in rust belt towns. First, it was the temporary location of the Bristol Casino–at least I *think* it’s temporary–in an abandoned Belk department store at the Bristol Mall in Virginia. They’re soon to be joined by the Resorts World Hudson Valley, which will open at the Newburgh Mall in Newburgh, New York. Here’s the ‘before’ picture:
And here is the ‘after’ picture–at least the part that we can see now:
I have no clue about the financial machinations that led to this happening. On a ‘macro’ level this is nothing new. New York has legalized gambling in shopping malls as a way to prop up a dying industry. The gaming industry is always quick to jump in bed with a government looking to keep an outdated industry ‘on life support’ rather than let it die a dignified death. My guess is that Resorts World got some kind of sweetheart deal to open a gaming facility in a derelict shopping mall.
Here’s some video background on the mall:
I sure don’t blame the city for trying something. The previous claim to fame of having the ‘last Sears in the state of New York’ wasn’t exactly packing them in. Alas, the Sears at Newburg Mall is no more. The Resorts World development is in the old Bon Ton Department store.
My guess is that the all slots gaming venue will make money and the local government will see some tax revenue. As for revitalizing the area, that’s tough to see happening no matter how well the Resorts World Hudson Valley location performs:
