The lights flashed and blasts of air greeted us.

We were surrounded by thousands of machines blinking and whirring and lending an air of excitement and adventure. For I found myself at one of the largest gaming sites in the United States: Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway.

You don’t immediately think of New York when it comes to roulette, or slots or blackjack. But Empire City’s location is practically an extension of Manhattan. And just as it did when it was exclusively a harness track once upon a time, it has a heavy concentration of visitors from the five boroughs, as well as the northern suburbs from New Jersey to Connecticut.

And if you’re visiting New York as a tourist, you can put this on your list, along with the Statue of Liberty, the High Line, and the United Nations. It’s accessible from Grand Central Station or special buses as well as by a subway/bus route.

And what happens when you get here to this place open 365 days a year, from 10 A.M. to 6 A.M.?

You play. And you can eat. Or just hang out and watch sports on the ubiquitous television screens. You can even place your bets on horse racing in Paris. The place trembles with excitement.

Coming Soon Live?

New York State does not yet have live gambling. But with the magic of computer innovation, I watched a dealer’s hands spreading out cards on a semi-circular table. I saw a group of people gaping at a spinning roulette wheel, calling out their numbers. The real thing? Well, almost. And perhaps soon Albany will vote on permitting live dealers. Now that the venue will be changing hands to the ubiquitous MGM Resorts, that is a real possibility. Cities that previously didn’t allow betting on sports events are now clamoring for a piece of the action.

But what to expect when you visit Empire City? When I think of Vegas or Atlantic City, places I’ve been to as part of my job as a sportswriter, I think of big, impersonal.

I was surprised at how friendly the workers are at Empire City. It’s as if you’ve walked into a local store. I especially felt that having lunch at the Dan Rooney restaurant, a place that transports you to a classic old-time bar and grill. The menu has bar favorites such as shepherd’s pie, or mac and cheese. The walls contain framed jerseys of famed football players, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mean Joe Greene’s “75” (the Rooney patriarch, Art Rooney, was the Steelers’ owner).

This is not your cold gambling venue. Come on a Friday or Saturday night and you can go bowling—for free. Yes, there are two lanes. Want to hold a wedding or anniversary party? There’s a spot for those, too.

Striking it Rich?

The track was bought by Rooney family members in 1972, and it has been a casino as well since 2006—attracting 8 million people a year (four times the Yankees’ attendance). And to show its good-neighbor policy, it has contributed $3 billion in taxes.

You have to be 18 to play, but those younger than 18 are welcome at private events such as parties.

The casino takes up several floors in this 90-plus acres enclave. You’ll have fun just wandering around, checking out those 5,200 machines—one of which spit out a $2.7 million payout a few years ago. Five months later, the winner, perhaps thinking this was a fluke, was back again—and she took in another $1.4 million.

What are the odds on that?