Creating a rising economic tide for Queens
as a working family in New York City,
Resorts World has demonstrated to me
that they can be trusted as a partner in
our city’s darkest days.
This is an opportunity for justice,
pragmatism and equity in our community.
Resorts World is already up and
running and has built deep relationships
in the community for years and can
quickly and seamlessly pivot to a more
comprehensive facility that serves tourists,
workers and small businesses in our
Resorts World kept building and
delivered a hotel as an engine for jobs,
entertainment and community pride
when nobody else would have. They spen
millions on that hotel because they fundamentally
believe in Queens and their
partnership with the community.
They have proven their commitment
through their relief efforts for the victims
of Hurricane Sandy and again recently
with Hurricane Ida.
They have kept all of their promises,
and the state and city would do well to
support friends like Resorts World who
are there in both the good and bad times.
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | FEB. 11 - FEB. 17, 2022 13
OP-ED
BY NANTASHA WILLIAMS
When I ran to represent the 27th
District in the New York City Council, I
promised that, together, we would continue
to win for southeast Queens.
We, as a community and as a borough,
have an opportunity for a real win
that can create thousands of good-paying,
union jobs and bring in the muchneeded
revenue to support the programs
we need in our city and state.
That’s why I am proud to support
Resorts World’s effort to compete in the
bidding process for a full-scale casino license
at their existing facility in Queens.
I trust Resorts World to be a responsible
community partner because I have
seen firsthand how they operate and
how it benefits my constituents. Workers
at Resorts World tell me that without
them as an employer, these last two years
would have been a lot more difficult for
them and their families.
Whether they were providing employees
with healthcare through the
pandemic, or job opportunities that allowed
them to not only survive but thrive
community.
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into homes across the country.
Southeast Queens was disproportionately
harmed by the pandemic. With Resorts
World, we can build a better future
with an intentional recovery that puts
community first.
If Resorts World’s location in Queens
were granted an expanded license, it
would directly create hundreds of goodpaying
union jobs in an area that needs
it most. Indirectly, the attraction of such
a gaming facility would bring countless
people to the area, lifting up small businesses
that have been struggling to survive.
This plan has received the support
of the new speaker of the City Council,
Adrienne Adams; the Hotel and Gaming
Trades Council; the Queens Chamber of
Commerce; and many other elected officials
and community groups that all
share the same interest: creating a rising
economic tide for Queens.
Supporting Resorts World in their bid
means greater opportunities for the community.
I spent my campaign talking to
as many people as possible in the district
and listening to the issues that mattered
to them.
The throughline was clear: quality
of life and good jobs matters most. If we
are to ensure that our agencies have the
resources they need to improve the quality
of life for New York City residents, we
need to ensure that they have the revenue
they need to operate.
Beyond the economic growth generated
by the hundreds of jobs that Resorts
World will create, their operations will
also generate hundreds of millions in
additional revenue for the state, which
means better schools, better services
and safer streets. I think we can all get
behind that.
Resorts World has proven itself as a
true advocate of Queens through its support
of neighborhood organizations, as a
trustworthy employer to its workers and
as a staunch supporter of the economic
future of our city.
If we can create hundreds of goodpaying
union jobs and significant additional
revenue for the state, we should
unequivocally support Resorts World’s
bid for a full-scale casino license.
Nantasha Williams represents the 27th
District in the New York City Council.
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