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The New York Community Advisory Committee voted down Caesars Entertainment’s Times Square casino plan, a blow to one of the city’s most high-profile bids for an NY casino license.
Opponents cited traffic and crime as key concerns. With the ruling final, one of the most-watched contenders for a New York casino license is out of the running.
Inside Caesars’ $5.4B Times Square casino vision
Caesars planned to convert the 1515 Broadway office tower into a casino-hotel with new restaurants and expanded nightlife. Developers touted 1,000 hotel rooms, thousands of jobs, and hundreds of millions in city and state tax revenue.
Caesars also pledged more cameras, street improvements, and community funding. Supporters said the measures would revitalize Times Square while adding new revenue.
In partnership with SL Green Realty and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, the project was expected to generate $5.4 billion in direct investment and more than $22 billion in betting revenue over the next decade.
The key reasons NY casino license panel said no to Caesars
The Community Advisory Committee voted 4-2 to oppose the project after weeks of public hearings and lobbying.
Theater owners and producers argued a casino would stall the district’s post-pandemic recovery, hurt tourism, worsen congestion, and cast shadows over Broadway.
Local residents raised concerns about traffic, noise, and threats to the neighborhood’s cultural character. Many said the casino’s potential benefits did not outweigh its risks.
The Broadway League, which represents theater owners, praised the decision, saying Broadway’s unique role was more important than opening a new casino.
Developers call decision a lost economic opportunity
SL Green CEO Marc Holliday blasted the decision, saying the developers exceeded requirements and that only the governor’s and mayor’s appointees were “brave enough” to back the plan.
Advocates believed the casino would generate jobs, boost tourism, and drive business to local restaurants, hotels, and attractions. They also highlighted promised funding for safety and community initiatives, saying Times Square was a natural fit for a casino given its entertainment profile.
Silverstein’s Avenir joins Caesars in losing NY casino bid
The committee also rejected The Avenir, a Hudson Yards casino backed by Silverstein Properties, in another 4-2 vote.
The two rejections narrow the field of potential applicants for New York’s limited casino licenses. Despite the setbacks, state officials are still expected to grant three licenses by year’s end.
The wider battle for New York’s three casino licenses
Proposals in Queens, the Bronx and Coney Island remain under review, but the Times Square plan will not advance to the state Gaming Facility Location Board.
Two established gaming venues — Empire City Casino in Yonkers and Resorts World New York City in Queens, both operating as video lottery casinos — are widely expected to secure two of the three full casino licenses.
Broadway vs. big money: The clash over a New York casino
The debate underscored the clash between economic growth and cultural preservation. Opponents said a casino threatened Times Square’s Broadway identity, while supporters called those fears overstated.
Local sentiment leaned heavily against the project, with residents saying developers failed to address their worries.
Community approval could decide every New York casino
The rejection highlights one lesson: Proposals need community backing as well as financing. For Caesars, SL Green, and Roc Nation, it ends a bold but controversial effort. For Broadway leaders and residents, it preserves Times Square as a cultural-first district.
