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The local Community Advisory Committee (CAC), tasked with reviewing the Freedom Plaza proposal, rejected the bid on Monday in a 4-2 vote. It was the last remaining casino bid for Manhattan after two other CACs rejected the Caesars Palace Times Square and Wynn Resorts’ Hudson Yards bids.
Responding to the decision, Soloviev Group CEO Michael Hershman said, “We have been humbled by the overwhelming support expressed by neighbors, community and civic organizations, and our faith, labor, and workforce partners.”
He continued, “They recognized what we did—Freedom Plaza was a transformative project that promised benefits our community deserved, built upon sustained engagement with neighbors, civic leaders, and stakeholders across the city who saw this as a’s once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
Inside Freedom Plaza’s grand vision
The mixed-use complex would have included a 300,000-square-foot underground casino, two hotel towers with 1,250 rooms, and 1,325 residential apartments.
Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed designating 1,080 of the residential units as permanently affordable housing. The complex would have also featured a “Museum of Freedom and Democracy.”
Politicians clash over NYC casino defeat
Elected officials expressed varied reactions to the CAC’s decision. Some viewed the project as a potential opportunity for Manhattan and the city, while others raised concerns about its potential harms.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, and City Councilmember Keith Powers, whose committee appointees rejected the bid, commended the decision. A joint statement from the four officials read,
“Our neighbors on the East Side of Manhattan have communicated significant concerns through hours of public hearings regarding increased congestion, public safety, and quality-of-life issues this project would introduce to our community.
For this reason, we support the CAC’s decision not to advance the casino proposal at Freedom Plaza.” In contrast, the governor and mayor supported Freedom Plaza and the other two Manhattan casino bids. Their appointed representatives in the CACs voted to approve all three bids but were outnumbered.
In a post by the New York Daily News, commenting on the three Manhattan rejections, Mayor Adams said, “Using their representatives on three Community Advisory Committees, elected officials have unfairly removed Manhattan from consideration before the process even began.” He continued:
“To be clear, this is not simply a rejection of a new casino in Manhattan—it is a rejection of new housing, new schools, billions of dollars in investment, and more for the borough.”
Hershman also highlighted the project’s benefits, stating, “We are proud of our partnership with Mohegan and the vision 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.”
NYC’s casino focus shifts to the boroughs with five more bids
With Monday’s vote eliminating all prospects of a New York casino in Manhattan, attention now shifts to the five remaining bids across other boroughs. Mets owner Steve Cohen has a bid for Metropolitan Park in Queens, valued at over $8 billion. Bally’s has a larger proposal for the Bronx, valued at over $10 billion. Analysts consider testing the bids as wild cards.
In contrast, the two existing racino bids, Resorts World in Queens and Empire City Casino in Yonkers, are considered top contenders. These facilities already operate as Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) venues and seek to expand to live table games.
The five remaining bids will be voted on by their respective CACs by the end of September. However, the process continues, as the bids must also be reviewed by the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board and approved by the Gaming Commission.
