More Evidence Gov. Paterson Played Games Over Aqueduct Casino Deal

Despite Gov. Paterson's continuing protestations to the contrary, the evidence continues building that the deal to give AEG the Aqueduct casino deal was not in the state's best interests and that the deal wasn't even the best offer on the table. The State Lottery Division had scored the different offers, and the AEG bid was hardly the best one on the table.

The Lottery Division assessment grades the six bidders at the time using 11 different criteria, from their ability to complete a deal swiftly to potential legal or licensing issues. Each bidder is graded in each category with either a “positive,” “neutral” or “negative” score.

While the Aqueduct Entertainment Group was assessed as having four potential negatives, including legal and licensing matters — concerns that would linger throughout the process — a group led by the developer SL Green had no negatives at all and appears to fare best in the assessment.

(Note: Aqueduct Entertainment Group is listed as “Mays Navegante” on the document; Richard Mays is A.E.G.’s chairman, and the Las Vegas-based Navegante Group was to be the consortium’s gambling operator.)

Aqueduct Bid Process

With the scoring, you would think that the state would have considered the SL Green/Hard Rock bid.