Bloomberg Not Sure NY Gambling's A Good Bet

Bloomberg Not Sure NY Gambling's A Good Bet
BY Celeste Katz

Mayor Bloomberg was overwhelmingly positive in his assessment of Gov. Cuomo’s budget during his testimony before state lawmakers Tuesday. But the mayor’s praise cooled rapidly when, during a Q&A with reporters afterward, he was asked about Cuomo’s plans to legalize casino gambling in the state and whether a casino should be placed in Manhattan.

Our man on the scene, Glenn Blain, passes along this transcript of the mayor's response:

“I’ve always thought that if we are going to have gambling that New York City should share in the revenues. Where you put them? People always want to locate them in places where they think the neighborhoods would benefit from the jobs. I think history shows they don’t do an awful lot for the surrounding neighborhoods and I don’t think they are all that profitable, but every government in this country seems to think that gambling is a newfound source of revenue and I suppose I think the governor should probably try it as well.

"Do I think it is the panacea for everything? No. If you wanted to have it, I am not even sure why you shouldn’t have it everyplace. I’d prefer to have it no place.”