In a show of transparency intended to quell the controversy surrounding his selection of a politically-connected company to operate slot machines at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, Gov. Paterson promised he would release documents regarding the bidders to the public. But before disclosing the documents, Paterson told the casino operators that they can "black out" anything they'd like.
According to the Post, five losing bidders and the winning company—Aqueduct Entertainment Group—will be able to redact "controversial or revealing information." Paterson decided to make the information public comes after federal investigators launched a probe of the winning selection and its ties to a nonprofit, and amidst rumors Paterson chose the company in exchange for support from influential shareholder and former Congressman Rev. Floyd Flake.
In other Aqueduct news, locals told the Post they don't like the winning bidder, which is known for running a shabby casino in a small Nevada town and was deemed "not qualified" for the Aqueduct project by the state Lottery Division. "Anything has got to be better than AEG," said John Bauer, a barkeep at a watering hole near the racetrack. "They were at the bottom of the list and he [Gov. Paterson] picked them?"
