AEG: Aqueduct Bid Dashed

[New York News]

Two days after Rev. Floyd Flake and the rapper Jay-Z pulled out of Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG), New York state has now withdrawn its support for the firm which had been awarded a multi-million dollar deal to put 4,500 slots at the Aqueduct Race Track.

The deal had generated considerable controversy and then investigations into whether Governor David Paterson had improperly allowed AEG to win the bid as a way to get political endorsement from Rev. Flake. The two also met a few days after the deal was announced earlier this year.

"The Division of the Lottery has concluded that it cannot issue a gaming license to Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG). Therefore, the State has officially withdrawn its support for AEG to develop and operate a video lottery terminal (VLT) facility at Aqueduct Race Track," reads the statement from the governor's spokesperson. "The Executive Branch advocates that the selection of the Aqueduct VLT franchisee be done pursuant to an expedited, transparent, apolitical and publicly accountable procurement process."