NEW YORK CITY — JCJ Architecture, a Hartford, Conn.-based commercial design firm, has completed Phase I of the 1 million-square-foot Resorts World Casino New York City, the city’s first casino, located within the Aqueduct Racetrack complex in Queens. The construction costs are estimated at $510 million.
JCJ served as the architect and interior design firm for the project. Malaysian-based Genting Group developed the casino and will handle operations. Genting and JCJ repositioned an existing building and added approximately 736,000 square feet of space for the new casino. The project added about 1,200 new construction jobs. Sylmar, Calif.-based Tutor Perini served as construction manager.
The complex will contribute $350 million annually to the State of New York to support education, and will also feature gaming, dining and entertainment options.
“Resorts World is an extraordinary example of creative repositioning and adaptive reuse. Working with Genting, we have transformed an aging landmark into a vibrant and energetic entertainment destination,” said Peter Stevens, president of JCJ Architecture, in a prepared statement. “Not only will Resorts World donate one percent of pre-tax profits to the local community, it has also created more than 1,350 permanent jobs for the city’s residents.”
JCJ has designed each floor of the three-level casino to incorporate a particular New York City landmark. On the first floor, known as the Times Square Casino, JCJ designed the space to be outfitted with interactive digital billboards, a multi-level entertainment venue known as Bar 360, the Acqueduct Buffet and an outdoor terrace with views of the Aqueduct Racetrack.
The second floor, known as the Fifth Avenue Casino, features high-stakes gaming and upscale dining options including Genting Palace, RW Prime Steakhouse, Wine Bar and Liberty Bar. Views from Liberty Bar include the Times Square Casino level and the 60-foot chandelier known as the “Light of the Nations,” so named because it features 193 hand-blown glass balls etched with the name of every nation recognized by the United Nations.
The third floor, known as Central Park, includes an expansive 70,000-square-foot event space, which is the largest in Queens. The space has a central performance area for high-profile events or it can be segmented for more intimate gatherings. The space is inspired by Central Park’s open spaces, colors and natural textures.
“Embodying Genting’s design philosophy, we abandoned traditional, windowless casino notions and reinvented a brighter aesthetic that is more vibrant and uplifting,” said Brian Davis, design principal of JCJ Architecture, who along with Bill Dow, principal, led the project. “Everything from the vaulted ceilings to the 60-foot chandelier in the lobby to the ornate detailing of the terrazzo floors evokes a sense of grandeur and expansiveness.”
The new casino features a five-level, 2,635-space parking garage, a climate-controlled bridge to the Aqueduct A train subway station, 5,000 video lottery terminals and electronic table games.
Proposed phases of the Resorts World include a multi-billion dollar, multi-million-square-foot convention center and hotel.
JCJ’s senior executives who served on the project include Dow, Davis, Scott Celella, Alexandra Lopatynsky, Jeff Wynkoop and Peter Fabian.
“Our vision for Resorts World was to create a vibrant venue with entertainment options that appeal to a broad audience,” added Mike Speller, president of Resorts World Casino New York, in a prepared statement. “Through our collaboration with JCJ Architecture, that vision has become a reality, and now one of the greatest cities in the world has a gaming and entertainment destination it can call its own.”
— John Nelson