SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                   WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                          FORM 8-K

                      CURRENT REPORT

          Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
              Securities Exchange Act of 1934


  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 14, 2003




               ALPHA HOSPITALITY CORPORATION

     (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)





     Delaware                      1-12522                  13-3714474
(State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File No.)       (IRS Employer
of incorporation)                                         Identification No.)




707 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 600, Northbrook, Illinois      60062
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)             (Zip Code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (847) 418-3804





Item 5. Other Events

Alpha  Hospitality Corporation (the "Company")  will  change  its
name  to  Empire  Resorts, Inc.  The Board of  Directors  of  the
Company  has  also approved a request for a NASDAQ ticker  symbol
change  from ALHY to NASDAQ symbol: NYNY. The company will  begin
trading  under the ticker NYNY on Wednesday, April 16, 2003.  The
name  change  to  Empire  Resorts,  Inc.  has  been  approved  by
shareholder  consent and will become effective on May  21,  2003.
The Company is also moving its corporate headquarters to New York
City.

The  Company has received written consents, in lieu of a  meeting
of  stockholders, from the holders of a majority  of  its  voting
stock to change its name to Empire Resorts, Inc.  The Company has
prepared an Information Statement pursuant to SEC Rule 14c-2  and
is  in  the process of mailing the Information Statement  to  its
shareholders.   The  name  change  will  become  effective   upon
compliance with the requirements of Rule 14c-2, including  a  20-
day   waiting  period  following  the  mailing  to  shareholders.
Pending  the effective date of the amendment, the Company intends
to  use  Empire  Resorts, Inc. as a dba name  in  accordance  with
Delaware law.  The Company estimates the name change will  become
effective  May  21, 2003.  Please see Press Release  attached  at
Exhibit 99.1.


ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS


(a)  Exhibits

99.1 Press Release dated April 14, 2003




SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange  Act
of  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


Dated: April 14, 2003                      ALPHA HOSPITALITY CORPORATION
                                               (Registrant)

                                           By: /s/ Scott A. Kaniewski
                                               Scott A. Kaniewski
                                               Chief Financial Officer





                                                     EXHIBIT 99.1

               ALPHA HOSPITALITY CORPORATION
                   707 Skokie Boulevard
                         Suite 600
                   Northbrook, IL  60062

Contact:
For Alpha Hospitality Corporation:
Charles Degliomini
cdegliomini@catskill.net
(646) 495-5253

                         FOR RELEASE MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2003  8:30 AM


     ALPHA HOSPITALITY TO BECOME "EMPIRE RESORTS, INC." TRADING ON
               NASDAQ UNDER NEW SYMBOL: NYNY

 NEW YORK, NY-- (BUSINESS WIRE)-April 14, 2003--Alpha Hospitality
Corporation (NASDAQ ALHY - News) (the "Company") announced  today
that  the  Company will change its name to Empire  Resorts,  Inc.
The Board of Directors of the Company has also approved a request
for  a  NASDAQ  ticker symbol change from ALHY to NASDAQ  symbol:
NYNY.  The  company will begin trading under the ticker  NYNY  on
Wednesday, April 16, 2003. The name change to Empire Resorts  has
been approved by shareholder consent and will become effective on
May   21,   2003.  The  Company  is  also  moving  its  corporate
headquarters to New York City.

Empire  Resort's  Chairman  and Chief  Executive  Officer  Robert
Berman  said, "During the past year and a half, the  Company  has
shed its prior businesses and changed its strategic direction. We
are  now a different company -- with new management and a  strong
New York focus. Our primary mission is to work with our partners,
the  Cayuga Nation of New York to complete our goal of opening  a
casino in the Catskills."

  In  late  2001, the New York State legislature  passed  a  bill
authorizing  three  casinos in the Catskills. The  Cayuga  Nation
filed  a land trust application with the Bureau of Indian Affairs
last  week  with  respect  to  the  proposed  casino  site.  Once
approved, the Cayuga casino will be one hour closer to  New  York
City than any casino in Connecticut or Atlantic City.

Mr. Berman concluded, "When finished, we will be offering a first
class  casino  experience and the very  best  of  amenities.  New
Yorkers  will finally have the opportunity to spend their  gaming
entertainment dollars in their state, where their money will most
benefit  the  Empire State's treasury -- not the coffers  of  our
neighbor  states.   Atlantic  City and  Connecticut  have  had  a
monopoly  on casino gaming for far too long. We look  forward  to
bringing  this greatly needed revenue stream back home  while  we
simultaneously  help  the state and local economies  by  creating
over 8000 permanent direct and indirect jobs."



The  Company has received written consents, in lieu of a  meeting
of  stockholders, from the holders of a majority  of  its  voting
stock to change its name to Empire Resorts, Inc.  The Company has
prepared an Information Statement pursuant to SEC Rule 14c-2  and
is  in  the process of mailing the Information Statement  to  its
shareholders.   The  name  change  will  become  effective   upon
compliance with the requirements of Rule 14c-2, including  a  20-
day   waiting  period  following  the  mailing  to  shareholders.
Pending  the effective date of the amendment, the Company intends
to  use  Empire  Resorts, Inc. as a dba name  in  accordance  with
Delaware law.  The Company estimates the name change will  become
effective May 21, 2003.

To the extent the content of this press release includes forward-
looking  statements, they involve various risks and uncertainties
including  (i)  the  risk  that various approvals  necessary  for
consummation of the agreements described herein and  required  to
be  obtained  from  the  Bureau of Indian Affairs,  the  National
Indian Gaming Regulatory Commission, the Governor of the State of
New  York and various other federal, State and local governmental
entities are not received, (ii) the risk that financing necessary
for  the proposed projects may not be able to be obtained because
of  credit  factors,  market conditions or  other  contingencies,
(iii)  the risk that the Cayuga Nation may exercise certain broad
rights  with  regard  to  termination  of  the  within  described
agreements (iv) the risk that definitive agreements with Catskill
Development  LLC  and  its  affiliates  are  not  consummated  as
contemplated and that the proposed consolidation does not  occur,
(v)  the risk of non-compliance by various counterparties of  the
related  agreements,  and  (vi)  general  risks  affecting  Alpha
Hospitality as described from time to time in it's reports  filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission. Alpha  Hospitality
wishes  to  caution readers not to place undue reliance  on  such
forward-looking statements, which statements are made pursuant to
the  Private  Securities Litigation Reform Act of  1994,  and  as
such, speak only as of the date made.

                            ###