Empire City Casino President & CEO Timothy J. Rooney, who has owned and operated Yonkers Raceway since 1972, has been selected among the most influential people of the Hudson Valley in City & State Magazine’s Westchester Power 50.

The Westchester Power 50 list honours the 50 most influential people in business, government relations, culture, and social services. All were saluted Monday, September 17 at an invite-only reception at the Radisson Hotel New Rochelle.

“Good business always starts with community,” said Rooney. “It’s a privilege and honour to be recognized among so many leaders in their field who always ensure that Westchester and its residents remain a priority.”

In 2006, Yonkers Raceway underwent a $250-million renovation to refurbish and revitalize the property, making way for Empire City Casino. After the completion of an additional $50 million expansion in 2013, the casino now offers more than 5,300 video slot machines and electronic table games and is the largest private employer in the City of Yonkers with nearly 1,200 employees.

A passionate philanthropist, Rooney is known for his quiet philanthropic involvement supporting hundreds of charitable organizations throughout Yonkers, New York and beyond, with contributions of more than $1 million annually made in the form of sponsorships and donations supporting non-profits in the areas of education, hunger, the arts, medical research and more. He regularly makes Empire City Casino available for charitable functions and fundraising activities and provides continuous support of community programs and organizations year after year.

As a lifelong horse breeding and racing enthusiast, Rooney has bred Standardbred and Thoroughbred horses for over 40 years and continues to breed and train them today. He and his wife June have been married for more than 50 years and have five children, Kathleen Mara, Margaret Galterio, Timothy Rooney, Jr., Bridget Koch, and Cara Moore, 24 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

(Empire City Casino)