An accidental email exacerbated tensions in the race for a New York casino license. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Tracy, Tracy, same thing
We’ve all been there, where we accidentally pressed “reply all” or clicked “send” without realizing that the wrong address was in the email. Even the highest-paid professionals do, as evidenced by the latest drama in the race to secure one of three casino licenses in central New York State.
According to a piece in New York times, Michael McKeon (not to be confused with Better Call Saul star Michael McKean), a lobbyist for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, mistakenly sent an email to Tracy Edwards, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility at Sands New York. , instead of Hard Rock Asia CEO Edward Tracy. The Jan. 5 email was also sent to Cohen’s chief of staff Michael Sullivan and Sean Caffery, senior vice president of business and casino development at Hard Rock, the company with which Cohen is partnering in the Mets’ $8 billion casino and entertainment complex bid. Citi Field.
Talk to officials at Hofstra University
In the email, McKeown was letting colleagues know that he was speaking to officials at Hofstra University, which has spoken out against a Las Vegas Sands proposal to create a casino next to campus.
“I am checking with Hofstra to see if they will oppose the move,” McKeon wrote.
Sands’ supporters jumped on the error
And with that, the fireworks started. within a week, NewsdayA local Long Island newspaper obtained the email and reported it. Hofstra University President Susan Bowser said Newsday The editorial board said it had not been in contact with McCune or Cohen’s team.
“We have not communicated with, and are not aware of, anyone at Hofstra who has had any contact with any of the proposed New York casino developers or their agents, other than Las Vegas Sands, with whom Chairman Bowser had one meeting over the course of a year,” a Hofstra spokeswoman added.
However, Howard Coble, the new head of the Nassau County Legislature, issued subpoenas to Bowser on January 16, a few days after the incident. Newsday piece. The next day, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blackman held a press conference to denounce what he saw as possible collusion. Both Kopel and Blakeman support Sands Casino on Long Island.
Fists clenched tightly
Those, like Koppel, who protested about the email have questioned whether conversations between Cohen’s team and Hofstra would be legal. Bennett Lipman, a government lawyer-in-residence at Albany Law School, told times There is probably nothing illegal about this, even if it is considered unethical.
The state prohibits collusion between competitors, but in this case two competitors are not alleged to be talking to each other. It is a candidate for a casino license and a third party that could be directly affected by a competitor’s casino.
“I don’t think that’s a really valid legal argument.”
“It’s a nice talking point, but I don’t think it’s a valid legal argument,” Lipman said.
There are three casino licenses available in central New York State, although most insiders believe the MGM Empire City Casino and Resorts World Casino, which only feature electronic gaming machines, will get two of them. This leaves one very valuable license up for grabs. In addition to Cohen/Hard Rock & Sands, potential proposals include the Jay-Z-backed Times Square Casino and the Bally’s property at the former Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point (now Bally’s Golf Links), among others.
