Freedom from a casino
Those who wanted a big, glitzy casino in Manhattan have had a rough few days. With the local Community Advisory Committee (CAC) voting against the Freedom Plaza casino proposal Monday morning, every Manhattan possibility for the three downstate New York casino licenses has been rejected.
The casino plan, which would have been in Midtown East near the United Nations headquarters, was led by the Soloviev Group in partnership with the Banyan Group and the Mohegan Tribe. It included a casino, an apartment complex, and a park, among other amenities.
The proposal was denied via a 4-2 vote; voting for the project were Governor Kathy Hochul’s deputy policy director Nichols Silbersack and Jennifer Sta. Ines, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ appointee to the CAC. Killing the proposal were Sandra McKee (state Senator Kristen Gonzalez’s appointee), Reshma Patel (Assemblyman Harvey Epstein), Celeste Royo (Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine), and Jasmine Narula (Councilmember Keith Powers).
The politicians represented by the “no” votes released a statement praising the result and saying, “We look forward to continuing to work with the Soloviev Group to accomplish the goal of activating this site for permanent affordable housing, green space, good-paying jobs, and more.”
Soloviev Group CEO Michael Hershman said that despite the disappointing result, he was “humbled by the overwhelming support expressed by neighbors, community and civic organizations, and our faith, labor, and workforce partners.”
He added, “We are proud of our partnership with Mohegan and the vision that informed this project that would have revitalized Midtown East and delivered for workers, residents, and organizations across this city. Manhattan is the undisputed capital of the world, and it deserved a fully integrated resort that would have attracted visitors while serving the needs of its community.”
Not alone
Last week, two other Manhattan casino proposals were also rejected by their respective CACs in 4-2 votes: a Times Square casino backed by Caesars and famed rapper Jay-Z, and the West Side’s The Avenir casino, proposed by Rush Street Gaming and Silverstein Properties.
That leaves five proposals still alive for the three licenses. Genting’s Resorts World and MGM’s Empire City in Yonkers have long been heavy favorites, as they are already slot parlors that could easily be transformed into full-fledged retail casinos.
The other contenders are Bally’s Bronx on the site of the former Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point (now called Bally’s Golf Links), the Coney on Coney Island, and Metropolitan Park near Citi Field in Queens.
The Community Advisory Committees must vote on their proposals by September 30. Those that make it through will then be considered by the New York State Gaming Commission.
The post New York Casino Race: Every Manhattan Proposal Rejected appeared first on Poker News Daily.
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