What a pathetic world we live in when sadistic mismanagers kick out a public library to make room for gambling.
When leaders of a failing mall and an embattled casino put their heads together, the outcome was bound to end with a public relations nightmare. That is exactly what happened when the Newburgh Mall management decided that the Newburgh Free Library’s Town Branch was in the way of Resorts World Casino’s incoming sub-station.
In August of 2022, mall management gave the library two months to get their annoying books out of the way for their miniature casino. The management offered to allow librarians to move to the opposite end of the mall – at the library’s expense. Unfortunately, such an expensive move of rebuilding a whole new storefront was not in the budget since this came unexpectedly.
The library has been in the Newburgh Mall for many years. It didn’t just contain books. It hosted numerous community events for children and numerous activities for everyone to enjoy. The price was right – it was all free. It was a community attraction that likely drew much-needed customers to the nearly abandoned Newburgh Mall.
Malls across the nation are hurting for business due to online retailers, but the lack of customers is nothing new for the Newburgh Mall. It has been well-known throughout the community for being nearly abandoned for decades. Even when Sears, J.C. Penney, Radio Shack, and other big-name retailers were in the mall, management struggled to figure out how to make improvements to draw in customers. For decades, when the mall was mentioned in conversations around town, someone would usually ask, “They’re still in business?” When people from other towns heard mention of the Newburgh Mall, they’d laugh as soon as they heard the name.
Before news broke of the incoming casino, the Newburgh Mall was typically empty unless someone was headed to the library. Constantly changing management over the years managed the mall straight into the ground.
And what’s better for a sad mall than to take in an embattled casino. Resorts World Monticello doesn’t exactly have the best of a reputation. The popular review site Yelp gives Resorts World Monticello just two stars out of a five-star rating. The two stars are based on an average of 393 reviews submitted by casino customers. Many of the reviews complain about filthy conditions within the casino and inside the hotel rooms. There are also frequent complaints of low payouts coming from the casino. Some call the casino greedy. Many have reported visiting the casino during off-peak hours and noticed it was a ghost town, much like the Newburgh Mall has been for decades. Pairing the two together is a perfect match, unless you enjoy visiting a library.
The Newburgh Free Library is not privately owned. It is a public library which offers free books to anyone and everyone. By kicking out the library, the Newburgh Mall management is slapping the community across the face – the same community which they expect to support their little mall. Thanks a lot, Newburgh Mall management. The community will remember your loyalty to us.
