Operator News
US – Empire City Casino adds 1,000 new slots making it sixth biggest US gaming floor
By Phil - 13 February 2023
Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts announced the addition of more than 1,000 new state-of-the-art games to its gaming floor, the sixth largest casino floor in the country and the largest in the MGM Resorts portfolio.
The upgrade delivers a new experience for guests offering the most recently released titles in gaming, and replaces almost twenty percent of the nearly 5,000 slots and electronic table games. The additions include some of the most popular gaming titles being enjoyed in casinos across the globe, including Light & Wonder’s 88 Fortunes Money Coins and Dancing Drums Explosion, Konami Gaming’s Ba Fang Jin Bao & Aristocrat’s Mighty Cash Double Up.
A gaming floor overhaul of this magnitude in such a short period of time is unusual in the casino industry. Empire City expressed a desire to improve the experience for its nine million annual guests by replacing outdated and underperforming games with the newest titles available in the industry. Recent changes by the New York State Gaming Association permitted Empire City to source games from a larger number of vendors than has historically been possible, allowing titles from Aristocrat Gaming, Konami and Alfastreet.
Responsible for the transformation of Empire City’s gaming floor is Executive Director of Slot Operations Ryan Munroe, who has developed his career with Empire City for more than a decade. Munroe credits the start of his successful career to his grandmother who worked as a casino cashier and introduced him to the many available career opportunities in the industry. Munroe has made it a priority to elevate the gaming experience at Empire City with new games in a variety of denominations ranging from penny slots to games at $200 max bet per play. Munroe follows many industry reports and analysis to help inform which games will likely be most enjoyed by Empire City patrons.
“If you think the casino floor looks different, you are right,” said Ryan Munroe, Executive Director of Slot Operations for Empire City Casino. “In my 15 years working at Empire City, I can’t remember a time where we’ve had so many new games hit the gaming floor over a relatively short time period. MGM Resorts continues to make the necessary investments to ensure a top-tier experience for our guests. Empire City also has some of the highest payouts in the industry, which means that more of the money played at Empire City is returned as payouts to our guests.”
Munroe explains that there is no shortage of opportunities to win at Empire City Casino, with multiple six-figure progressive jackpots that are unique to Empire City, rather than typical progressive jackpots that are shared across multiple casinos. Currently, the three highest jackpots available only for Empire City guests include Bally’s Celestial King, which is approaching $600,000, Bally’s Monopoly Millionaire now over $500,000, and IGT Wheel of Fortune Triple Stars at nearly $500,000.
In his current role, Munroe has been actively engaged in MGM Resorts’ preparations to compete for one of the three commercial casino licenses currently available in New York. A commercial casino license will allow Empire City to transition from a limited lottery facility offering video lottery terminals and electronic table games, to offering live-dealer table games, retail sports betting, Vegas-style slots, new and elevated amenities, and world-class entertainment options for the tri-state area and beyond.
