REGION — Executive summaries of the nine applications for the one or two casino licenses that will be awarded in the Catskills/Hudson Valley Region are posted at www.gaming.ny.gov/gaming. Below are excerpts from the various applications.

From the Sterling Forest Casino, which would be located in the Town of Tuxedo, and would be located closest to New York City: “New Jersey has a five-year pledge not to permit casinos outside Atlantic City, which expires in 2016. A Meadowlands casino can open almost immediately and will aggressively target and profit from NYC gaming dollars. The new casino location in the Hudson Valley/Catskill region has to be closest to NYC and be nearest to the heavily populated areas of Northern NJ and Western CT in order to withstand competition.”

From Live! Hotel & Casino, which would be located in South Blooming Grove: “The area is known as the ‘Crossroads of the Northeast’ because of three major state highways and interstates that traverse the county. New York State Route I-86 (NY l7) extends from the Scranton area of Pennsylvania, through Orange County to the Massachusetts Turnpike, which crosses the State. Interstate I-87, the New York State Thruway, is the longest intrastate/interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System, traveling from the Bronx to Canada. Interstate I-84 is the only-limited access road to cross New York from west to east between New York City and the Capital District. As such, it is the main vehicular route between Southern New England and Pennsylvania and points west.”

From the Hudson Valley Casino and Resort, which would be located near Newburgh: “Offering seamless access from both I-84 and the New York State Thruway, Hudson Valley Casino & Resort offers the best opportunity to attract and keep New York gaming dollars within the State. Our facility is projected to bring over $244 million in new annual gaming revenue to New York from out-of-state visitors to the facility and by recapturing spending by New Yorkers at casinos in other states.”

From Caesars NY, which would be located near Woodbury Commons: “Caesars has the broadest and largest set of entertainment offerings in the industry, including 36 residencies in Las Vegas with headliners including Celine Dion and Britney Spears and a partnership with Live Nation. In New York, Caesars will create a customized entertainment experience that adds to the company’s offerings. Caesars, which has the industry’s broadest group of resident entertainers, may leverage these relationships to bring headliners and other world­class acts to Caesars New York, complementing the existing arts and theater programs throughout the Hudson Valley.”

From the New Windsor Resort & Casino: “The Grand Hudson will be located in New Windsor, NY at Stewart International Airport. Orange County is one of the poorest counties and areas in Hudson Valley, with over 11% of its population living below the poverty line. After considering over ten potential sites for a gaming facility, Greenetrack settled in Orange County, specifically in the Town of New Windsor and the City of Newburgh for three reasons: economic impact, accessibility and existing infrastructure.”

From the Nevele Resort and Casino, which would be located near Ellenville: “The project proposed by the applicant, Nevele-R, LLC, represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvigorate the region’s tourism economy and to perfectly achieve the legislative purposes of the Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act of 2013. Located in an area with an official unemployment rate of 13.5% (and likely much higher), Nevele provides the key to restoration of the historical tourist based economy of this region. Voters approving the amendment to the New York Constitution in November 2013 had Nevele in mind when passing the measure by a wide margin.”

From Mohegan Sun at the Concord, which would be located in the Town of Thompson: “Mohegan Sun at The Concord will be the first commercial casino license to open in New York State. Concord Kiamesha and our affiliate Concord Associates, L.P. (“Concord Associates”) have already substantially completed pre-construction and foundation work and have completed a significant amount of remediation work on the historic former Concord Resort site. With foundations already in the ground, steel in the warehouse, and all permits in place, the facility will be up and running in no longer than 18 months.”

Montreign Resort Casino, which would be located in the Town of Thompson: “Empire, as the only current racino operator in Sullivan County, is able to leverage its knowledge of the market to ensure the success of the proposed gaming facility and significant tax revenues to the state. Empire already has hundreds of thousands of players in its database, which provides an operative starting point to effectively market the Gaming Facility to current customers. Additionally, the combination of gaming and non-gaming amenities at Adelaar offers a true four-season, destination resort for visitors from throughout the Northeast.”