Amato Joseph A D Form 4 EMPIRE RESORTS / AMATO JOSEPH A D ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

D AMATO JOSEPH A

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O MONTICELLO CASINO AND RACEWAY

ROUTE 17B, P.O. BOX 5013

(Street)

MONTICELLO NY 12701

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
EMPIRE RESORTS INC [ NYNY ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
Chief Executive Officer

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/29/2015

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share	10/29/2015		M(1)		53,333	A	$2.79	265,630	D
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share	10/29/2015		D(1)		39,216	D	$4.81	226,414	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$2.79	10/29/2015		M(1)			53,333	(2)	11/08/2015	Common Stock, $.01 par value per share	53,333	$0.00	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The exercise of the option was net settled with the Company and 30,935 shares of common stock were withheld to pay the exercise price and 8,281 shares of common stock were withheld to pay the applicable tax payments relating to the exercise pursuant to Section 16b-3(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2. The option was fully vested and exercisable as of November 9, 2013.

Remarks:

	/s/ Joseph A. D'Amato	11/02/2015
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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