The Tioga Downs hosted a grand opening today to offer full Las Vegas-style gaming, providing players with 33 table games as well as a poker room. Operators of the Tioga Downs claimed they would be the first to open out of four new upstate casinos and they have made good on their claim.

The venue has provided harness racing as well as slot gaming for many years and tried two times to be able to be given a full gaming license. The second time was a success and now players visiting the facility can take part in blackjack, poker and other table games. The expansion of the property also included a hotel, event space and restaurants.

Three additional casinos will open in New York State, by 2017, offering Las Vegas-style gaming, in the Finger Lakes area, the Catskills and Schenectady. Officials and leaders of the state are hoping the four gaming venues will boost tourism as well as the local economies.

The ribbon cutting has now taken place at Tioga Downs just a few hours ago and table games are live. Tioga Downs provided information on the new games via their social media pages including Facebook.