Private developers announced plans Monday for a $700 million gaming complex as part of an "entertainment city" to be built in the Catskill Mountains, where lavish resorts were once world renowned.

Empire Resorts says it has an agreement with Concord Associates to relocate the Monticello Gaming and Raceway -- which would include video slot machines with harness racing -- as part of the project at the historic Concord Hotel.

The project would include a gaming area, convention center, hotel, golf resort, retail stores, restaurants and other entertainment venues.

Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with a 2010 opening.

The resort would be 90 miles northwest of New York City.

The gaming floor would be in the hotel and the harness track rebuilt to become a top racing facility, the developers said.

"The creation of thousands of jobs will permeate throughout the entire upstate economy and bring the former Concord Hotel back to its glory as one of the region's truly great convention, destination and resort hotels," said Louis R. Cappelli, managing member of Concord Associates.

Last week, the Mohawk tribe at the St. Regis reservation in northern New York said Empire was dropping the tribe from its plans for the site. Empire said then that it wasn't abandoning its work with the Mohawks, but was exploring other options.