Jake's 58 casino preliminary plan for $200M expansion gets nod from Islandia
Under a proposal that got preliminary approval by the Islandia Village Board on Tuesday, Jake's 58 would double its video lottery gaming terminals, add hundreds of parking spaces and refurbish hotel rooms. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost
Suffolk OTB's $200 million Jake's 58 expansion plan took a key step forward Tuesday night when the Islandia Village Board cast the first of two votes on the project.
The board voted 4-0 to approve a preliminary site plan for the project following a brief discussion of how OTB officials would manage parking lots during construction, which is expected to take more than a year while the casino-hotel remains in operation.
The board set an Aug. 1 public hearing, which will be followed by a vote on final site plan approval.
Suffolk OTB president and chief executive Phil Boyle said Tuesday's vote was a "very important step" for the plan.
"We have one more hurdle on Aug. 1," he said.
The expansion is a high-stakes effort by Suffolk OTB to double the size of the casino as state officials get set to award licenses for three Las Vegas-style casinos in the New York City region. Possible sites include Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Citi Field in Queens and the Resorts World casino at Aqueduct race track in Ozone Park.
The OTB plan calls for doubling the casino's video lottery gaming terminals from 1,000 to 2,000, adding hundreds of parking spaces and refurbishing hotel rooms. The expanded casino would feature new pubs and bistros.
OTB officials have agreed to erect a 10-foot-high, 800-foot-long sound wall to address concerns from nearby homeowners about noise from the casino. About eight families live in a cul-de-sac just east of Jake's 58.
The planned expansion reflects the success of the gaming parlor, which has been one of New York's most profitable betting operations since it opened in February 2017.
Suffolk OTB officials are proposing a new 110,000-square-foot building to be constructed behind the existing casino-hotel. Parking would more than triple, from 600 spaces to about 2,000, OTB officials have said.
OTB managing partner Phil Boyle said last week the new building would house 1,000 new betting terminals, plus about 500 machines from the current casino. Both buildings would include new bistros and pubs, he said.
The hotel's 210 guest rooms would be upgraded, and a swimming pool and conference rooms that were eliminated to make room for the casino six years ago would be restored, Boyle said.
The expanded casino would open in early 2025, he said.
Construction of a parking garage and new parking fields is expected to begin this summer, and casino construction would start around Nov. 1, Boyle said.
Suffolk OTB's $200 million Jake's 58 expansion plan took a key step forward Tuesday night when the Islandia Village Board cast the first of two votes on the project.
The board voted 4-0 to approve a preliminary site plan for the project following a brief discussion of how OTB officials would manage parking lots during construction, which is expected to take more than a year while the casino-hotel remains in operation.
The board set an Aug. 1 public hearing, which will be followed by a vote on final site plan approval.
Suffolk OTB president and chief executive Phil Boyle said Tuesday's vote was a "very important step" for the plan.
"We have one more hurdle on Aug. 1," he said.
The expansion is a high-stakes effort by Suffolk OTB to double the size of the casino as state officials get set to award licenses for three Las Vegas-style casinos in the New York City region. Possible sites include Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Citi Field in Queens and the Resorts World casino at Aqueduct race track in Ozone Park.
The OTB plan calls for doubling the casino's video lottery gaming terminals from 1,000 to 2,000, adding hundreds of parking spaces and refurbishing hotel rooms. The expanded casino would feature new pubs and bistros.
OTB officials have agreed to erect a 10-foot-high, 800-foot-long sound wall to address concerns from nearby homeowners about noise from the casino. About eight families live in a cul-de-sac just east of Jake's 58.
The planned expansion reflects the success of the gaming parlor, which has been one of New York's most profitable betting operations since it opened in February 2017.
Suffolk OTB officials are proposing a new 110,000-square-foot building to be constructed behind the existing casino-hotel. Parking would more than triple, from 600 spaces to about 2,000, OTB officials have said.
OTB managing partner Phil Boyle said last week the new building would house 1,000 new betting terminals, plus about 500 machines from the current casino. Both buildings would include new bistros and pubs, he said.
The hotel's 210 guest rooms would be upgraded, and a swimming pool and conference rooms that were eliminated to make room for the casino six years ago would be restored, Boyle said.
The expanded casino would open in early 2025, he said.
Construction of a parking garage and new parking fields is expected to begin this summer, and casino construction would start around Nov. 1, Boyle said.
Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.
