FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 1, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
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Full-scale casino should come to Resorts World
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BY THOMAS
J. GRECH
When people think of
casinos, they oft en only
think of gaming. But, in
the nearly 10 years since
Resorts World New York City has been
open, our members have come to see it
as so much more. Th ey’ve gone there for
concerts, to watch sporting events, and for
comedy shows. Th ey’ve sat down for a nice
meal at the RW Prime Steakhouse and
Wine Bar. In fact, the Queens Chamber
has hosted numerous events on site. And
they’re not the only ones. Queens residents
and visitors to the borough have
come to view Resorts World as a destination
for entertainment and good food.
But when the world stopped due to the
pandemic, much of life in the “World’s
Borough” stopped as well. Tourism was
curtailed and foot traffi c took a huge dip.
With fewer people heading to Resorts
World, neighboring small businesses were
also hit hard. We need an infl ux of people
to the borough to help these organizations
begin to erase the huge losses they have
suff ered over the last year.
Our members are aware of Resorts
World’s push to be allowed to compete
in the bidding process for table game
licenses and they fully support the move.
If Resorts World were able to expand its
off erings as an entertainment destination,
people would fl ock there to take advantage
of the new options. And while they
were there, staying in the new hotel, they
would also be infusing cash into other
businesses in the area, many of which are
minority- and women-owned enterprises.
Th ese businesses have perhaps felt the loss
of the pandemic more acutely than others,
as their employees and customers have
been adversely impacted by COVID-19.
New York should be exploring any and
all options that would bring people back
to the city. We’ve seen the good neighbor
that Resorts World has been to the
Chamber and its members. We know
its commitment to hiring Queens residents
and helping local entrepreneurs.
We know the work it’s done with the community
and local nonprofi ts – helping
them achieve fundraising goals, amplifying
their work, and connecting them with
volunteers and supporters. We’ve seen
its commitment to providing its customers
access to locally produced goods. Th e
Chamber believes adding table games to
the facility would do nothing but strengthen
these ties between Resorts World and
the Queens community. Its success would
spell success for all of us.
Many of our members were forced to
make the hard decision during the pandemic
to lay off employees. And they
weren’t the only ones – over a third of
Queens residents say they or someone in
their household lost their job since the
pandemic started. Many people who are
now unemployed are people of color.
As a representative of over 1,300 organizations
in Queens, we support awarding
Resorts World a full-scale casino license
because the move would also create thousands
of union jobs. As we said, Resorts
World is committed to hiring minority
employees who live in Queens. Th is
move could quickly create options for
employment and get these people back
to work in the borough where they live.
Th ese jobs would be good-paying, so aft er
months of uncertainty, they could fi nally
breathe a little easier without wondering
where their next paycheck was coming
from. Plus, they would get high-quality
healthcare at no cost to them, in addition
to defi ned pension plans.
New York’s path to recovery will be
long. By supporting options that get people
back to work and bring people back to
the most diverse community in the country,
New York can help the borough, the
local business community and the entire
region as they strive to return to pre-pandemic
levels.
Th omas Grech is president and CEO
of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
Th e Queens Chamber of Commerce has
served the Queens business community in
New York City since 1911. It’s committed
to “fostering economic growth and prosperity
in the most diverse community in
the country by promoting the interests of
business through advocacy, networking
and education.”
STOP THE RISE OF
ANTIASIAN HATE
Th ere has been such a terrible
rise in hate crimes against
Asians and Asian Americans in
New York City and around the
country, something I fi nd most
appalling.
I have seen these three
words being used in the media:
“Appalled. Furious. Cowardly.”
Well, I agree!
COVID-19, which originated
in China, has caused the death
of more than 536,000 people and
so many people are choosing to
place blame on our city’s Asian
population. Th is type of thinking
is wrong! Yet that is how bigotry
and prejudice is perpetuated.
As we fi ght to put a stop to this
hate, we must realize that talk is
cheap and rallies can only go so
far. What we need to do is educate
the public that hate is wrong and
that love is the answer. We are all
brothers and sisters, and our creator
created us all to love and to
respect one another.
Furthermore, I think that we all
need to get involved in our community
to help one another when
one of our Asians brothers and
sisters are being abused or hurt.
As the old cliche goes, “When you
see something, say something.”
So, let’s do it!
Remember this, too: Evil thrives
when good people do nothing.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Bellerose
SUPPORT LOCAL
RESTAURANTS
What a great way to welcome
spring! “NYC restaurants can
open for indoor dining at 50 percent
capacity” (Mark Hallum —
March 18).
As more and more of us receive
our COVID-19 vaccines, it is now
easier and safer to patronize our
neighborhood restaurants.
My wife and I don’t mind paying
a little more to help our favorite
restaurants survive. Don’t forget
your cook and server. We try
to tip 20 to 25 percent against the
total bill including taxes. If it is an
odd amount, we round up to the
next dollar.
Let’s hope that many of the
NYC restaurant workers whose
livelihood was impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic will be
rehired. Th is includes bartenders,
waiters, bus boys, cooks and
cashiers.
Wholesale food sellers, distributors
and linen suppliers have
also been aff ected, along with
construction contractors and
their employees, who renovate or
build new restaurants.
Our entrepreneurs who have
been lucky enough to remain
open continue to work long
hours, pay taxes and provide local
employment opportunities.
If we don’t resume patronizing
these establishments, they don’t
eat either.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
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