A casino in New York will not come in the form of the Caesars Palace's Times Square Casino proposal following a Wednesday community advisory committee.
Key Takeaways
- Caesars' bid for a Times Square Casino was rejected on Wednesday following a 4-2 vote against the proposal.
- The two dissenting voices expressed concerns about the rushed nature of the vote, explaining that they felt they had lost two weeks.
- Residents and other concerned individuals in the area expressed reluctance to the proposal, with concerns in the form of crime, increased traffic, and maintaining the spirit of the iconic square.
With representatives on hand for New York Governor Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, as well as other members of the State Senate, councilmembers, senators and the Manhattan Borough president, the vote failed by a 4-2 count, leaving just six proposals left.
The Avenir also saw its proposal rejected.
“As the mayor’s representative on this committee, I want to express my disappointment that today’s vote was scheduled earlier at the request of some CAC members,” said Nabeela Malik, who represented Mayor Adams. “By moving today’s vote forward, we have effectively lost two weeks of deliberation.”
“While I respect the process and my colleagues, I believe it is important to acknowledge that the accelerated timeline has constrained the committee’s ability to meet the very standards of transparency, engagement, and thorough review that were built in,” Malik added.
Support for the effort has largely been underwhelming, despite high-profile figures such as Jay-Z backing the proposal, according to Bloomberg News.
“New York City is the entertainment capital of the world, so the idea of a world-class casino here makes perfect sense,” Jay-Z told City & State NY last week. “I’ve always looked at opportunities that can shift culture while uplifting communities, and Caesars Palace Times Square is exactly that.”
Meanwhile, locals such as The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) – a local theatre union – as well as recent surveys from the neighborhood of registered voters disapproved of any potential casino in the area.
“This was a vote to protect the magic of Broadway,” said Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League and a member of the No Times Square Casino Coalition. “A casino can go anywhere, but Broadway only lives here.”
Among the concerns voiced, residents have expressed fears, including increased congestion and crime, among other concerns.
“Casinos must clear a particularly high bar, requiring a uniquely strong degree of community buy-in before being sited in a neighborhood,” New York City councilman Erik Bottcher said via statement. “Despite extensive outreach by the applicants, that level of support has not materialized.”
Meanwhile, Caesars expressed optimism despite the decision of the board, sharing their continued commitment to the state, while SL Green CEO Marc Holliday – whose company was part of the Caesars proposal – lashed out following the vote.
“We met the standard and then some. The only one with courage to stand up is the governor and the mayor appointees, and everybody else runs and hides. Go run and hide,” Holliday said in a video that made its way over to X, formerly Twitter.
Casino has been REJECTED 4-2
— Nick Garber (@nick_garber) September 17, 2025
SL Green CEO Marc Holliday just approached the CAC members after the vote to harangue them: “What you did here today was despicable.” https://t.co/WvFCbhSkan pic.twitter.com/xl8nfOAJuP
“What you did, the benefits you denied this community and this city and state, you have to live with that history forever.”
This development leaves The Freedom Plaza project as the last casino bid that would be located in Manhattan. Bally's New York Casino, Metropolitan Park, MGM Empire City, Resorts World New York City, and The Coney are the other projects under consideration.
"Despite the defeat today of two formidable applicants, we remain confident that one license should be awarded in Manhattan. Attracting more tourists than any other borough, the city should have a fully integrated resort that is fitting of its position as the global capital of the world," Soloviev Group CEO Michael Hershman, representing The Freedom Plaza project, said in a statement.
