Twenty-two companies apply for New York casino licenses

There will be no shortage of companies hoping to secure one of four casino licenses available for locations in upstate New York.

The New York Gaming Facility Location Board, a branch of the New York State Gaming Commission, said 22 companies have filed application fees to have their bids considered for one of the licenses. Each interested company was required to file a $1 million application fee by the close of business Wednesday.

The applicants include Saratoga Harness Racing Inc., which has filed two applications. The company, which owns Saratoga Casino and Raceway, announced last week that it had abandoned plans to seek a full casino license for its existing slot-machine parlor in Saratoga Springs, largely due to community opposition. Instead, it will seek licenses in the Albany area and in Newburgh in Orange County.

Tioga Downs, a harness track and slot-machine facility owned by Jeff Gural, also filed the application fee. Gural also owns Vernon Downs in upstate New York and The Meadowlands in New Jersey.

The gambling commission has said it expects to select the companies for licenses by early autumn. Construction of the facilities is expected to take at least a year.