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Dozens Rally Outside Belmont Park Against Planned Long Island Casino

ELMONT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Dozens of protesters held a rally Saturday morning against a planned casino on Long Island.

WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports the rally took place outside of Belmont Park as protesters don't want a casino built there.

Organizers said they are not only protesting a casino being built in Nassau County, but also in Suffolk County.

Those against the casino told WCBS 880 that the casino will bring crime and more traffic to already congested areas.

"We have six schools in this area and to have potentially an increase in DWI's, it just doesn't make a lot of sense for our community," Matthew Sexton told WCBS 880.

Protester Carl Gerroto doesn't think the casino will benefit the community.

"Casinos are inherently designed so people never leave the casino. So it's not going to benefit the community as a whole. No one's going to be shopping in stores, eating in restaurants," Gerroto told WCBS 880.

However, those who support the plan in Elmont say the casino will bring $24 million in revenue and jobs to the area.

Belmont Park is home to horse race betting.

In Suffolk County, the proposal for a similar casino plan would be either in Medford or Islandia.

Long Island lawmakers have introduced legislation to stop casinos from being built anywhere on the island.

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