CENTRAL VALLEY, NY—Officials with Flaum Management Co. of Rochester, NY met with local officials on Tuesday evening to pitch its $850-million casino resort project to be built on a 121-acre site adjacent to the Harriman Metro-North train station here.

Asher Flaum, president of Flaum Management, presented some of the merits to the project, which would include a casino, a hotel, a lifestyle center, a family entertainment zone, and restaurants.

Flaum said that his firm has an option on the property that was formerly part of the Interchange Commerce Center. The option on the property is with a lender that had taken title on the property in foreclosure proceedings. Flaum appeared before Town of Woodbury officials at a session held at Monroe-Woodbury High School because as part of the licensing process with the state, it must secure a statement of support from the locality in which it is built.

He told globest.com that the size of the casino and hotel have not been determined as yet. His firm has held discussions with major casino operators and plans to strike a deal with a company in the near future.

The project, if selected by New York State, would create 2,800 construction jobs and about 2,500 permanent jobs. It is also expected to generate approximately $33 million in various taxes to the state, municipality and school district. He stressed that his firm would use union and local labor for the construction of the project, would use local products from local vendors and look to partner with SUNY Orange to create a “gaming curriculum.”

He also promised to address traffic concerns in and around the site that is located near Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who attended the presentation, said that there could be as many as five casino license applicants from Orange County.

“Do we want these dollars to drive past us and wave to us when they are going up to Sullivan and Ulster (counties)?” or should Orange County look to try to attract a casino within its borders, Neuhaus asked Woodbury officials

Both Neuhaus and Flaum said that Orange County will have to deal with traffic concerns from casinos whether one is built in Orange County or further north in Sullivan or Ulster counties.

If Fluam decides to seek a casino gaming license, the price tag will be rather high. The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board has set the minimum licensing fee for a casino in Orange County at $70 million.

In other gaming-related news, on April 1, the Town of Thompson Board voted in favor of supporting Monticello Raceway Management, Inc.'s application to the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board for a destination gaming resort license for its $750-million Adelaar destination resort in Sullivan County.