Developers of proposed casinos in New York are sponsoring children’s sports in an effort to ingratiate themselves with the community.
Children from a Long Island-area soccer team were invited to a training session with David Beckham and Carli Lloyd that was sponsored by Las Vegas Sands, which is trying get a casino built in the area. The Coney, a casino proposed for Coney Island, displayed its logo on the uniforms of children’s basketball summer camp.
These moves are attempts by casino developers to show they are invested in the community, which, in turn, could help them secure a gaming license.
But some parents have argued in Facebook posts that their children are being used as props to promote gambling. Others, however, have said they're grateful for the funding.
New York City has never had a full-scale casino. But the State Legislature last year approved up to three new casino licenses for the region. At least 11 developers are expected to compete for the licenses.
Las Vegas Sands says it supports children’s activities in communities where it operates. It once adopted an elementary school next to a casino it used to own in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It also funds a charter school in Las Vegas, although Las Vegas Sands no longer operates in Sin City.
Opponents of the Coney Island casino project have used its sponsorship of the basketball camp to stir up opposition.
