Business booming at Jake’s 58 casino since opening in Islandia
<p style="text-autospace:none;"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">According to officials, the casino has become one of the state’s most profitable gambling facilities. </span></span></p>
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May 19, 2017, 4:53 PM
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Updated 2,698 days ago
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The newly opened casino in Islandia is growing fast since it opened in late February.
In a Newsday/News 12 report, Andrew Ehinger went inside the Suffolk OTB casino while the finishing touches were being put into place on the gambling floor at Jake's 58.
The Suffolk OTB is pinning its hopes on a big win with the casino to get it out of $15 million in debt. So far, officials say it is doing well and attracting customers from across Long Island.
Jake's 58 casino has been so popular that the average machine generated almost $800 a day in revenue last month. Chuck Kilroy, of Jake's 58, says as of May 15, the casino has donated almost $9 million to the state education fund.
Some might call it a big jackpot for Suffolk OTB and the state of New York, but not everyone is so happy. Some neighbors who fought hard against the casino's opening say traffic and parking at night is a big problem.
"A lot of them park on the street, which is not good. One of them came to my neighbor's property and they were urinating on their property," says Caitlyn Munro, of Islandia.
The casino says it has plenty of parking on site and that they are trying to be a good neighbor.
Peter Lofrano, of Shirley, says he likes the facility.
"I think it's beautiful," he says. "It's close to my house, about 20 minutes away, but I don't want to lose all my money."
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