Howe Caverns touts popularity among tourists in casino bid

By Cady Kuzmich

Howe Caverns, a popular tourist site nestled between rural Schoharie and Cobleskill in central New York, is in the running to become one of the state's four resort-style casinos. Howe Caverns owner, Emil Galasso, has teamed up with casino developer Michael Malik and self proclaimed "locals-oriented" gaming operator Full House Resorts in a quest to win one of the coveted casino licenses allotted for upstate New York.

Howe Caverns boasts its status as New York's second most-visited natural attraction in New York, second only to Niagara Falls. The cavern attracts 160,000 people to the sparsely populated region each year.

Schoharie Town Supervisor Eugene Milone, who put the resolution supporting a casino in front of the town board, fully supports the proposed casino and called the project "a great opportunity for the county." Milone also believes the casino could help alleviate the strain of taxes.

Milone called Howe Caverns an "excellent" site for a casino. "It's out of the way. It's not going to have an adverse effect on local communities. There's plenty of room for additional expansion as far as hotels are concerned. I'm sure the casino will promote other businesses as well."

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