A casino in Times Square? Manhattan coalition and Broadway group certainly hope not
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NEW YORK, N.Y. — A new alliance of Manhattan groups and associations, including The Broadway League and the many theatre owners and producers it represents, are aiming to stop Caesars Palace Times Square from rising.
The “No Times Square Casino” Community Coalition, which unveiled its messaging and purpose Friday, says major traffic congestion, a weakened New York City tax base, and economic disruption would occur in the heart of Manhattan if the proposed casino at 1515 Broadway is built.
“After a long recovery from the pandemic,” says the coalition, according to its website, “visitors are rediscovering the allure of the theater and returning to the restaurants around Times Square. Casinos are built to keep visitors inside their doors as long as possible, patronizing their own restaurants, shops and entertainment venues—at the expense of the 90,000-plus jobs nearby businesses support.”
With The Broadway League at the helm, the coalition includes restaurants like Sardi’s, Joe Allen and Orso, as well as The American Bus Association, Student & Youth Travel Association, and numerous resident associations, like the Hell’s Kitchen Black Association and The West 47th-48th Streets Block Association.
The site also includes anti-casino commentaries from multiple media outlets, including the New York Post and New York Daily News, as well as City & State New York.
Sardi’s owner Max Klimavicius reportedly said, “No matter how much emphasis promoters try to place on glitz and glamour, a casino in Times Square has the potential to unravel the fabric of the theater district and jeopardize the fate of its restaurants.”
SUPPORT FOR TIMES SQUARE CASINO
Caesars Entertainment, which is partnering with SL Green Realty, has one of at least eight bids for three New York City casino licenses approved by the state last year.
The Coalition for a Better Times Square, which features 70 member businesses and organizations (including restaurants, shops, labor unions, and Wyndham Hotels and Carmine’s), is in favor of the proposed Manhattan-based Caesars Palace site, which would include 950 hotel rooms, a live sportsbook, slots and table games.
According to Jeff Garcia, president of the New York State Latino Restaurant, Bar & Lounge Association, “This is not a Las Vegas casino that seeks to keep people inside. It is a New York-style casino, where visitors will be eating at local restaurants and drinking in local bars before and after gaming – and with Times Square’s great public transit access, they can reach businesses throughout Manhattan and beyond.”
Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, called the upcoming Times Square venue an economic engine for both the neighborhood and Broadway.
“At the core of our vision for this project is the idea that our guests will flow directly from our five-star boutique hotel, gaming floor, sportsbook and entertainment destination into the existing vibrant entertainment and culinary community in and around Times Square,” said Reeg. “We have long supported Broadway shows at our properties in Las Vegas and beyond, and we know our Caesars Rewards members love Broadway theater. Through tickets we purchase and Caesars Rewards credits our guests earn across our network, we expect this powerful combination to benefit the entire area.”
For casinos to be approved, they need to receive majority support from a six-member community advisory panel before moving to a gaming commission review, according to state law, which Gothamist noted, adding New York will charge $500 million for each license and require the winning bidders to dish out another $500 million in capital investments. That’s in addition to development costs.
The 54-story building, 1515 Broadway, has Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney’s “The Lion King.”
STATEN ISLAND’S CASINO IDEA
Last September, Borough President Vito Fossella proposed the site of the failed New York Wheel project as a potential spot for a casino.
“Just envision a casino here, perhaps a hotel in the likes of the Mohegan Sun where people can come on a day like today and enjoy the views, enjoy the vistas. Just enjoy what’s behind us,” he said.
“And if you compare it to other places around the city, you have casinos and racetracks. But does it offer this type of view and this these types of amenities? And frankly, the answer is ‘no,’” Fossella added. “We would love for folks, casino operators who are evaluating and doing their due diligence, to come and take a visit.
