Bryanston Settlement Agreement	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Other Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]
Bryanston Settlment Agreement	Bryanston Settlement Agreement Effective as of June 30, 2013 (the “Closing Date”), the Company, Kien Huat, Colin Au Fook Yew (“Au”) and Joseph D'Amato (“D'Amato” and, together with the Company, Kien Huat and Au, the “Company Parties”) consummated the closing of a Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Stanley Stephen Tollman (“Tollman”) and Bryanston Group, Inc. (“Bryanston Group” and, together with Tollman, the “Bryanston Parties”) (See also Note I Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company Parties and the Bryanston Parties agreed to the settlement of certain claims relating to shares of Series E Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) held by the Bryanston Parties and that certain Recapitalization Agreement, dated December 10, 2002, by and between, among others, the Bryanston Parties and a predecessor to the Company (the “Recapitalization Agreement”), pursuant to which the Bryanston Parties acquired the Preferred Stock. On the Closing Date, the Recapitalization Agreement terminated and ceased to have any further force and effect as between the Bryanston Parties and the Company. In consideration for the mutual release of all claims, Empire shall redeem, purchase and acquire the Preferred Stock from the Bryanston Parties in accordance with the following timeline and payment schedule and based upon the closing by the Company of third party financing in an aggregate amount sufficient to enable the Company to complete the construction of its Casino Project (the “Concord Event”). On June 30, 2013 all Preferred Stock held by Tollman was redeemed for approximately $1.5 million (the "Redeemed Tollman Preferred Stock"). On December 31, 2013, a payment for all dividends accrued and unpaid since December 10, 2002 (the “Accrued Dividends”), in an amount of approximately $1.3 million, was made on the Redeemed Tollman Preferred Stock. If the Concord Event occurs after December 31, 2013 and on or before June 30, 2014, all Preferred Stock and Accrued Dividends held by Bryanston redeemed for an amount between $22.8 million and $28.0 million from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment pro-rated based upon the actual number of days after December 31, 2013 the date that the Preferred Stock is redeemed. If the Concord Event occurs after June 30, 2014 and on or before December 31, 2014, all Preferred Stock held by Bryanston redeemed for an amount between $28.0 million and the $10 Liquidation Value of the Preferred Stock (as such term is defined in the Recapitalization Agreement) and all Accrued Dividends as of December 31, 2014 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment prorated based upon the actual number of days after December 31, 2013 the date that the Preferred Stock is redeemed. If the Concord Event does not occur before December 31, 2014, the Annual Dividend for calendar year 2014 shall be paid to Bryanston in the amount of approximately $1.2 million prior to the thirtieth (30th) day following December 31, 2014 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment. If the Concord Event occurs after December 31, 2014 and on or before June 30, 2015, all Preferred Stock held by Bryanston shall be redeemed for an amount equal to the Liquidation Value and Accrued Dividends as of the date of the Concord Event from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment. If the Concord Event does not occur by June 30, 2015, 150,000 shares of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed on June 30, 2016 for $1.5 million. An additional 150,000 shares of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed for $1.5 million on each June 30 for the next three years from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment. The balance of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed in an amount equal to the Liquidation Value and Accrued Dividends on June 30, 2020 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment. As a result of the Settlement Agreement on June 30, 2013, and pursuant to ASC 480, the Series E Preferred Stock held by the Bryanston Parties became contractually redeemable subject to the terms and conditions of the Settlement Agreement and has been classified as a liability on the accompanying balance sheet as of that date. Changes in the value of the liability are recorded as interest expense to recognize the liability at the amount at which it would be contractually settled at the balance sheet date pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recognized interest expense of approximately $2.6 million..

Bryanston Settlement Agreement

Effective as of June 30, 2013 (the “Closing Date”), the Company, Kien Huat, Colin Au Fook Yew (“Au”) and Joseph D'Amato (“D'Amato” and, together with the Company, Kien Huat and Au, the “Company Parties”) consummated the closing of a Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Stanley Stephen Tollman (“Tollman”) and Bryanston Group, Inc. (“Bryanston Group” and, together with Tollman, the “Bryanston Parties”) (See also Note I Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company Parties and the Bryanston Parties agreed to the settlement of certain claims relating to shares of Series E Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) held by the Bryanston Parties and that certain Recapitalization Agreement, dated December 10, 2002, by and between, among others, the Bryanston Parties and a predecessor to the Company (the “Recapitalization Agreement”), pursuant to which the Bryanston Parties acquired the Preferred Stock. On the Closing Date, the Recapitalization Agreement terminated and ceased to have any further force and effect as between the Bryanston Parties and the Company.

In consideration for the mutual release of all claims, Empire shall redeem, purchase and acquire the Preferred Stock from the Bryanston Parties in accordance with the following timeline and payment schedule and based upon the closing by the Company of third party financing in an aggregate amount sufficient to enable the Company to complete the construction of its Casino Project (the “Concord Event”).

On June 30, 2013 all Preferred Stock held by Tollman was redeemed for approximately $1.5 million (the "Redeemed Tollman Preferred Stock").

On December 31, 2013, a payment for all dividends accrued and unpaid since December 10, 2002 (the “Accrued Dividends”), in an amount of approximately $1.3 million, was made on the Redeemed Tollman Preferred Stock.

If the Concord Event occurs after December 31, 2013 and on or before June 30, 2014, all Preferred Stock and Accrued Dividends held by Bryanston redeemed for an amount between $22.8 million and $28.0 million from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment pro-rated based upon the actual number of days after December 31, 2013 the date that the Preferred Stock is redeemed.

If the Concord Event occurs after June 30, 2014 and on or before December 31, 2014, all Preferred Stock held by Bryanston redeemed for an amount between $28.0 million and the $10 Liquidation Value of the Preferred Stock (as such term is defined in the Recapitalization Agreement) and all Accrued Dividends as of December 31, 2014 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment prorated based upon the actual number of days after December 31, 2013 the date that the Preferred Stock is redeemed.

If the Concord Event does not occur before December 31, 2014, the Annual Dividend for calendar year 2014 shall be paid to Bryanston in the amount of approximately $1.2 million prior to the thirtieth (30th) day following December 31, 2014 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment.

If the Concord Event occurs after December 31, 2014 and on or before June 30, 2015, all Preferred Stock held by Bryanston shall be redeemed for an amount equal to the Liquidation Value and Accrued Dividends as of the date of the Concord Event from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment.

If the Concord Event does not occur by June 30, 2015, 150,000 shares of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed on June 30, 2016 for $1.5 million. An additional 150,000 shares of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed for $1.5 million on each June 30 for the next three years from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment. The balance of Bryanston's Preferred Stock shall be redeemed in an amount equal to the Liquidation Value and Accrued Dividends on June 30, 2020 from funds legally available to the Company to effect such payment.

As a result of the Settlement Agreement on June 30, 2013, and pursuant to ASC 480, the Series E Preferred Stock held by the Bryanston Parties became contractually redeemable subject to the terms and conditions of the Settlement Agreement and has been classified as a liability on the accompanying balance sheet as of that date. Changes in the value of the liability are recorded as interest expense to recognize the liability at the amount at which it would be contractually settled at the balance sheet date pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recognized interest expense of approximately $2.6 million..