Genting has officially broken ground on Phase Two of Resorts World New York City’s US$5.5 billion expansion, marking another major step in transforming the Queens property into one of the most important integrated resort developments in the United States.

The move comes less than three months after Resorts World New York City opened as the city’s first full casino with live table games. This speed matters because it shows Genting is not treating the New York license as a slow, wait-and-see opportunity. It is moving quickly to turn an existing casino property into a full-scale destination resort.

What Is Being Built

Phase Two will add several major components to the existing property.

The expansion includes a new 400-room hotel tower, the Kenny “The Jet” Sports and Media Complex, a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena, 1,200 additional luxury hotel rooms under the Crockfords brand, a central plaza and a new parking garage.

When fully completed, the broader expansion is expected to add 2 million square feet of gaming, entertainment, dining, retail and convention space to the existing one-million-square-foot property.

This changes the identity of Resorts World New York City. It is no longer just a casino near JFK Airport. It is being repositioned as a large urban integrated resort combining gaming, hospitality, entertainment, events, food and community amenities.

What Lim Kok Thay Said

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman of Genting Group, said the company is already moving toward the day when New York City will have a first-of-its-kind integrated resort.

He added that Genting is not only keeping every commitment made in its proposal to the state, but is also running ahead of schedule in starting construction outside the existing building.

That message is important.

In large gaming projects, credibility matters. Governments, regulators, communities and investors want to see whether promised jobs, infrastructure, investment and community benefits actually move from proposal to execution.

By breaking ground quickly, Genting is sending a clear signal that it intends to deliver.

What Robert DeSalvio Said

Robert DeSalvio, President of Genting Americas East, said the excitement around the project has continued from the bid stage through licensing and the first 12 weeks of live table games operation.

He said Phase Two will bring new infrastructure, new parking and the next wave of hotel rooms to support the coming two million square feet of gaming, entertainment and hospitality space.

This is a useful statement because it highlights the operational reality behind the project.

A larger gaming floor alone is not enough. A property of this size needs hotels, parking, entertainment venues, restaurants, convention space, people movement and back-of-house infrastructure to function properly.

Why New York Matters

New York is one of the most attractive casino markets in the world because of its population, tourism base, international connectivity and business travel demand.

Resorts World New York City also has a strong location advantage. It sits in Queens near JFK Airport, giving it access to local residents, international arrivals, transit corridors and a large regional customer base.

The property has already been operating for more than a decade, which gives Genting an advantage over new-build competitors. It has an existing site, existing workforce, existing customer database and existing operating history.

That is why RWNYC can move faster than projects that still need to build almost everything from the ground up.

Jobs and Economic Impact

The full expansion is projected to create around 10,000 jobs, including about 5,000 union construction jobs.

This is a major part of the project’s public value proposition.

Large integrated resorts are not only gaming businesses. They are employment platforms. They create jobs across construction, hospitality, security, food and beverage, entertainment, facilities, technology, finance, compliance, marketing and customer service.

For Queens, the project also strengthens Resorts World’s role as a long-term local employer and economic contributor.

From Casino to Integrated Resort

The most important strategic shift is the move from casino to integrated resort.

A casino focuses mainly on gaming revenue.

An integrated resort creates multiple reasons for people to visit, stay and spend.

That includes hotel stays, concerts, conventions, restaurants, retail, sports and media experiences, public space, entertainment and premium hospitality.

This model is already proven in Asia through markets such as Singapore and Macau. Genting is now applying that integrated resort logic to New York City.

The Marketing Lesson

From a marketing perspective, Resorts World New York City should not market itself only as a casino.

The stronger strategy is to market complete customer journeys.

For local New Yorkers, it can be a night out, dining destination, concert venue or entertainment escape.

For tourists, it can be a hotel and entertainment stop near JFK.

For business travellers, it can become a convention and hospitality venue.

For premium customers, Crockfords can support a luxury positioning with higher-end service, rooms and experiences.

For families and the wider community, the sports and media complex and public spaces can help broaden the property’s appeal beyond gaming.

This is important because casino brands become stronger when they reduce dependence on one customer segment.

The Technology Lesson

From a web application and digital strategy angle, this expansion needs a strong digital foundation.

A modern integrated resort should connect hotel booking, casino loyalty, restaurant reservations, event ticketing, parking, promotions, customer service and mobile engagement into one smooth experience.

The future guest should be able to discover events, book a room, reserve dining, receive personalised offers, manage loyalty benefits and navigate the property digitally.

For management, the digital layer should provide real-time dashboards across gaming performance, hotel occupancy, event demand, customer behaviour, campaign return, staffing and compliance.

A US$5.5 billion physical expansion needs an equally serious technology roadmap.

Why Data Will Matter

Resorts World New York City already has a major advantage: an existing customer base.

The next opportunity is to turn that database into stronger customer intelligence.

As the property expands, Genting can segment customers by purpose of visit, gaming preference, entertainment interest, hotel usage, dining behaviour, event attendance and loyalty activity.

This allows more relevant marketing.

A guest who comes for concerts should receive different offers from a gaming customer. A JFK traveller should receive different messaging from a Queens resident. A premium hotel guest should receive different service treatment from a casual weekend visitor.

Better data means better personalisation, better customer experience and better revenue management.

Original Insight: Genting Is Building an Urban IR Playbook

The most interesting part of this project is that Genting is building an urban integrated resort, not an island resort or a traditional casino resort.

That is a different challenge.

New York customers have endless entertainment choices. They do not need to visit a casino to find nightlife, restaurants, shows or hotels.

This means Resorts World New York City must compete as part of the wider city entertainment economy.

The winning formula will be convenience, brand trust, strong programming, transport access, premium service and digital engagement.

If Genting executes well, RWNYC could become a blueprint for how integrated resorts work inside dense global cities.

Community Trust Will Be Important

Large casino projects also face public concerns, especially around responsible gaming, traffic, neighbourhood impact and social risk.

That means Genting must continue showing that the expansion benefits the wider community, not only the operator.

Strong responsible gaming programmes, local hiring, transparent community investment, public space, small business partnerships and measurable social impact will be important.

In today’s gaming industry, public trust is part of the license to grow.

Final Takeaway

Genting’s Phase Two groundbreaking at Resorts World New York City is more than a construction milestone.

It signals the next stage of New York’s gaming and entertainment market.

The US$5.5 billion expansion will turn RWNYC into a larger integrated resort with hotels, gaming, entertainment, dining, retail, convention space and public amenities.

For Genting, the opportunity is enormous. But the challenge is equally clear: it must deliver not only a bigger casino, but a complete destination experience.

The future of Resorts World New York City will depend on how well Genting connects physical expansion with brand strategy, digital infrastructure, customer data, community trust and world-class hospitality.