The winning bidder of the controversial Aqueduct gambling contract released paperwork today in an effort to show that it’s the best-suited to rebuild the Queens racino.
Gov. David Paterson announced last month that he’d selected AEG as the winning bidder to install 4,500 video-slot machines at the dilapidated racetrack — and immediately kicked off a firestorm of controversy.
AEG has ties to the politically connected Rev. Floyd Flake, a former congressman who had a meeting with Paterson just days after getting the winning bid.
The documents come as the four losing bidders also released their plans this afternoon.
The Post has reported that federal investigators are looking into AEG’s selection, and are secretly working with state Inspector General Joseph Fisch.
AEG also announced last week that the Darman Group — headed by convicted criminal Darryl Greene — would be removed as a key partner in the project.
One of the conditions in the legal “Memorandum of Understanding” for the project bars people with criminal records from obtaining a gambling license. Green had been convicted of misappropriating $500,000 in government funds in 1999.
A rival bidder, Penn National Gaming, had already complained that it was passed over after offering a $300 million up-front license fee — $100 million more than AEG. But AEG was then allowed to match the higher bid, the rival company said.
In addition, the feds have subpoenaed AEG’s records as part of an investigation into a charity the group is linked to, a source said.
Paterson has denied the bidding was in any way political, and recently vowed to release the selection-process records.
According to the documents posted on the Albany Times-Union Web site, AEG pledged to be up and running with “3,000 machines” within “six months” with no temporary facility.
According to the newspaper, AEG also promised to deliver between “$146 and $222 million” in additional tax payments to the state in 2011.
The bid also gives detailed construction timelines led by Turner Construction, Greenstar (general construction, plumbing and electrical) and PS&S (engineering and design) and Siemens (electrical engineering).
