Times Square casino is dead after community board votes no
By Natalie Duddridge
Click here for updates on this story
NEW YORK (WCBS) — New York’s Times Square will not be getting a casino. The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) voted down the proposal Wednesday morning by a 4-2 count.
It’s a major blow for the developers behind the Caesars Palace bid, effectively killing the project before it even reaches the state’s licensing board.
The Times Square proposal centered around the Minskoff Theatre building, home of the Broadway hit “The Lion King.”
The show would have gone on, but everything above the theater would have been transformed into a casino and resort.
Developers SL Green, Caesars Entertainment and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation said the project would generate an estimated $7 billion in taxes for the city and state, as well as thousands of jobs, and would boost local restaurants and shops.
A Caesars spokesperson said the company is disappointed, but respects the CAC’s decision.
“While we are disappointed by the outcome, our commitment to New York remains unwavering,” Caesars said in a statement. “We are proud of our strong partnerships across the state as anchored by our Caesars Sportsbook platform, where we continue to invest and innovate to serve New Yorkers. New York is a dynamic part of our national footprint, and we look forward to exploring future opportunities.”
A second vote was also held Wednesday on a separate casino bid, called The Avenir near Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s West Side.
The Avenir requested the Community Advisory Committee delay that vote, saying the CAC asked for more information Tuesday night and it hadn’t had enough time to respond. However, the committee decided to move forward anyway, voting against the project 4-2.
“Despite the Avenir team working in good faith throughout the process to respond to questions and concerns and amend our proposal as needed, last night at 10:50 p.m. the Community Advisory Committee made a very significant request and our team has not been given a chance to consider this request before today’s vote,” a spokesperson for The Avenir said in a statement Wednesday morning. “This action taints the CAC process and today’s vote should be postponed.”
Supporters of the project argued the massive entertainment complex would help revitalize an area that’s still struggling to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both casino bids drew criticism, especially from Broadway producers and community members who raised concerns about adding more congestion to already crowded streets and diverting audiences away from shows, instead of boosting them.
New York is looking to award three downstate casino licenses, and there were eight proposals in the running. Each must win support from its local Community Advisory Committee before it can be considered by the state Gaming Facility Location Board.
There is still one more proposal in Lower Manhattan, along with others in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Yonkers.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.