Last Friday, a coalition titled No Times Square Casino officially opposed Caesars Entertainment, Rock Nation and SL Green’s bid for a 1515 Broadway casino. 릴게임 The group is led by the Broadway League, and represents theater owners and producers. In addition, five neighborhood associations, several restaurant owners, and churches support this group.
To attract casinos to Times Square, a consortium of Caesars Entertainment, Roc Nation and SL Green is looking to win one of three Downstate casino permits available in New York. In January, the Gaming Facilities Location Committee launched an application request for interested parties, and three winners will be announced by the end of 2023.
On Friday, No Times Square Casino said in a statement that the GFLB’s application request states that only community-backed projects will compete as the race for Down state licenses intensifies in the spring. So the coalition is voicing strong opposition to the consortium’s bid for the Times Square casino.
Some of the coalition’s concerns about the project include worsening congestion in already congested areas. There are also concerns that visitors may be lured to stay within casino walls instead of visiting local restaurants and existing entertainment venues, while disrupting businesses that have already proven beneficial to the city.
Sardi’s, Joe Allen and Orso, and Bar Centrale are concerned about potential changes in the structure of the theater district. Mary Hatman of Joe Allen and Orso restaurants said small businesses in the community had to overcome serious challenges, such as the unprecedented situation in 2020, and that planning for a Times Square casino would pose unnecessary risks.
Meanwhile, competition for down-state licenses is getting fiercer. It was recently reported that a total of eight bids were submitted for the state’s three available licenses. It should be mentioned that one of the interested parties is Las Vegas Sands, which aims to bring gaming properties to Long Island, New York.
But the attraction of gambling leaders has also been opposed in the community. In March 2023, a group titled Say No to the Casino Citizens’ Association, along with trustees from Hofstra University, called the attraction completely inappropriate. Hofstra trustees said the casino’s target location is surrounded by educational institutions from kindergarten to graduate school and various suburban communities.
In addition to this, Thor Equity also shared its interest in leasing one of the available licenses. For the project, the company partnered with Saratoga Casino Holdings, Chicaso Nation and Legendary Hospitality. If the license is approved, a $3 billion commercial gaming property will be located in Coney Island, New York.