An 11th-hour special meeting called by Binghamton City Council all but guarantees a second bid for a Southern Tier casino license. A special business meeting will be held at 6 pm tonight on a resolution to support a potential casino in Binghamton. The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board requires that applicants for a Southern Tier casino license show support from a local municipality in the form of a resolution like the one the council will consider. Currently, only Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural has publicly announced interest in seeking a license. Applications are due to the state gaming commission July 6. Binghamton City Council does not have another regular business meeting scheduled until July 8. Binghamton Mayor Richard David said he requested council hold a special meeting to vote on the resolution after a potential bidding group indicated it was prepared to move forward with a proposal. He would not identify the group. But according to the city’s announcement of the meeting, the resolution would support a casino at the Stow Manufacturing site, at the corner of Montgomery and Frederick streets. In May, an application to clean up the 15-acre site was filed and it identified the intended use as “entertainment and hospitality.”
