Cobleskill Planning Board: Casino's local impact would be big

7/29/2014

By Patsy Nicosia

Cobleskill Planning Board: Casino

As big as the proposed $450 million Howe Caverns Resort and Casino is, its local impact could be even bigger.
That's one of the issues Cobleskill's Planning Board raised Wednesday after meeting with representatives from HCRC.
"This is going to shape us for the next 30-40 years," said Planning Board Chairman Andre Nadeau.
"If we don't have our ducks in a row with our zoning, it's what's going to happen to the surrounding stuff that concerns me. When some guy says, 'I could put up a cheaper hotel,' or a gas station or ice cream on this corner...Our regulations really need to be tight. That's an offshoot of this that I really want to concentrate on."
HCRC rep Jeff Hyman told planners that the "blood, sweat, and capital" put into developing a Planned Development District at Howe Caverns in 2010 when the attraction first proposed an indoor water park has put them at an "incredible competitive advantage" for one of the state's casino licenses.
"There is no project as far along as us," he said.
Still, developers will need some zoning changes to make the project fly, mostly regarding traffic and the height of the hotel.
Parts of the environmental review done for SEQRA will also need to be updated.
Mr. Hyman said they'll submit the needed documents for the changes by mid-September, a step that will kick off a 30-day public comment period.
The proposed $450 million resort includes a world-class casino, and a 10-floor luxury hotel, along with a water park, restaurants, a second hotel, and a dinosaur theater.
It's projected to generate $400-$500 million locally in construction revenue and more than 3,000 construction jobs and 1,700 ongoing jobs.
The hotel is a permitted use in the PDD, said Steven Grogg of McLaren Engineering, and under the state gaming law permitting casinos, casinos are as well-though that doesn't exempt projects like HCRC's from other zoning and permitting regulations.
The state has said it will award the winning casino licenses this fall, but skeptics have said it won't happen till at least after the November election or even as late as the end of the year.
Mr. Grogg said their goal is to get the zoning changes taken care of by November or December.
The state has also said that once licenses are awarded, projects have two years to open, but Mr. Grogg said that clock doesn't start ticking till SEQRA is completed.
"So do you think having your SEQRA completed gives you any advantage?" asked Supervisor Leo McAllister.
It will, spokesman Ryan Moses said, in "speed to market. The state will be able to start collecting its revenues faster. It's a real advantage to us."
The Cobleskill Town Board has already issued a resolution backing the Caverns casino and that's the board that will ultimately approve the changes to the PDD.
"Let me ask you something," Mike Moore, who's with Howe Caverns said. "Do you feel these are major changes to the PDD?"
"There's no doubt in my mind," answered Mr. Nadeau, adding that he's mostly afraid of skipping something.
Mr. McAllister agreed-as did Caverns' owner Emil Galasso.
"The last thing we want is anyone coming in and saying we shortcut something," Mr. McAllister said. "There's a good feeling for this project. If we don't do it the proper way, there's no point in doing it. It doesn't mean slowing it down. But it does mean doing it the right way."
Mr. Galasso said he also sees the PDD changes they're requesting as major and said the developer is more than willing to pay for a consultant and even a land use attorney-an offer the Planning Board will take them up on.`