They have been integral when we’ve had tragedies like Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters locally, they’ve been really a great site. Why is it? Because Resorts World has been such a good neighbor. And Resorts World has been around for 11 years, they never moved. That casino is going to bring prostitution and traffic, and I’m out of here.” Don’t go anywhere yet. I had constituents telling me, “Joe, I lived here 40 years and I’m moving. How has the perception of that project changed in the community over the years? You saw those benefits firsthand when Resorts World New York City moved into your district. So you know, we don’t want to stop that kind of progress that the town of Schenectady is going through. You look at a town like Schenectady, the revitalization of Schenectady was, to me, there’s a direct correlation between its revitalization and Rivers Casino. Why do you believe that those factors make gambling expansion valuable when weighing them against some of the harms that can come from making gambling widely available? You have said that while you recognize some of the risks associated with gambling, that you support expansion because of the benefits it can bring – tax revenues, jobs, philanthropy, development.
