Three casino projects in New York were chosen last December as part of a plan to boost the upstate economy but are still awaiting licenses after nearly a year.
The delay has been marked by regulatory red tape and, in one case, lawsuits from local opponents.
The state's Gaming Commission is expected to issue the licenses by year's end. An agency spokesman says the wait was needed to complete required criminal background checks on casino executives and to review the final details of the proposals.
Casino developers say they're eager to get to work and plan to be operational within two years of receiving the license.
The three casinos are Montreign in the Catskills, Lago Resort and Casino in the Finger Lakes and Rivers casino in Schenectady.
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