Raceway Casino Yonkers

Empire City Casino will resume live racing operations without spectators at the Yonkers Raceway on Monday, three months after the coronavirus pandemic closed the facility. Yonkers Raceway at Empire City Casino is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing track and New York state-approved casino right next to New York City. The dirt track has a final stretch of 660 feet (200 m) and is 98 feet wide. The track is home to major harness events like the Yonkers Trot, Art Rooney Pace and Messenger Stakes. Restaurants near Empire City Casino, Yonkers on Tripadvisor: Find traveler reviews and candid photos of dining near Empire City Casino in Yonkers, New York. Yonkers Tourism. Raceway Pizzeria and Hero's #121 of 245 Restaurants in Yonkers 5 reviews. 775 Yonkers Ave. The company made the decision to shutter the track Tuesday after learning that an employee of the Standardbred Owners Association based at Yonkers Raceway adjacent to the Empire City Casino tested.

« Return to News Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New York (SOA of NY) president Joe Faraldo has announced that Yonkers Raceway, which had been scheduled to close on Sept. 12, will remain open. In a Facebook posting, Faraldo said an agreement has been reached with MGM Resorts to keep Yonkers open through Dec.

Empire City Casino reopened today, about six months after the Yonkers gambling hub was forced to shut down because of the coronavirus.

Empire City's doors reopeneed at 10 a.m. as it became the state's latest casino to resume operations after the pandemic. The casino can only operate at 25% capacity, in accordance with state guidelines.

The casino, owned by MGM Resorts, will operate under stringent modifications, including requiring all guests to wear masks, according to a reopening plan posted on its website. Patrons will also need to complete a health screening and have a temperature check before entry.

Valet service and bar service won't be available and some machines won't be available to ensure social distancing.

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Live racing at Yonkers Raceway on the casino property resumed in June. Spectators are still prohibited from races and no on-site waging is allowed.

Hand sanitizer dispensers and washing stations are located throughout the casino as are disinfecting wipes.

Empire City Casino Senior Vice President of Operations and CFO Ed Domingo called it an “unbelievable' feeling to have staff members and customers back. The top priority for the casino is to keep everyone healthy, he said.

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“It was a long time coming here in Yonkers and Westchester County,” Domingo said.

Evelyn Garcia, of The Bronx, was one of the customers who came back Monday.

“I’ve been locked up for six months,” she said.

The casino, which is the largest private employer in Yonkers, furloughed about 1,000 workers in May as the virus kept Empire City's doors closed.

MGM CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle in a May 5 letter called the furloughs 'the most challenging period ever faced by our company and industry' and said he was unsure how many employees would return before the end of the year.

The company has welcomed back more than half if its workforce for the reopening, a spokesperson told The Journal News/lohud.

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MGM Resorts bought Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway in early 2019 for $850 million.

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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: With modifications in place, Empire City Casino reopens in Yonkers