NEW YORK (AP) — A proposed Caesars Palace on line casino in Instances Sq. that’s backed by Jay-Z misplaced its bid for a playing license Wednesday after working into fierce opposition from Broadway theater homeowners and producers who had been anxious about its potential influence on the theater district.
A state-commissioned group advisory committee introduced the curtain down on the $5.4 billion plan to redevelop an workplace tower right into a Caesars-branded lodge, playing and leisure complicated, rejecting it in a vote that occurred after public hearings wherein the Broadway League, actors, stagehands, restaurant homeowners and neighborhood residents lined as much as oppose the challenge.
Marc Holliday, CEO of SL Inexperienced, which was the challenge’s major developer and property proprietor, torched the choice following the transient vote in a small convention room overlooking Instances Sq..
“This was a despicable show of cowardice, an entire lack of consideration for all of the individuals who would profit from this,” he shouted at committee members as they silently filed out. “Go run and conceal.”
Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, a theater business group that opposed the challenge, mentioned the vote protected the “magic of Broadway” for 1000’s of employees and the hundreds of thousands of theatergoers.
“A on line casino can go anyplace, however Broadway solely lives right here,” he mentioned.
SL Inexperienced groups up with JAY-Z, Rev. Sharpton, and Ryan Williams to bid for a Instances Sq. on line casino license at Caesars Palace NYC.
July 3, 2025July 4, 2025
Native board approval was required for the proposal to be thought-about by the state Gaming Fee, which plans to award as much as three licenses for New York Metropolis-area casinos in December.
The struggle over the on line casino was largely about whether or not an inflow of playing vacationers would assist, or harm, a theater district nonetheless recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Instances Sq. on line casino builders, which included Jay-Z’s ’s Roc Nation firm, proposed renovating an workplace tower at 1515 Broadway that at present homes the Minskoff Theatre, which is house of long-running “The Lion King” musical.
They envisioned the Caesars-branded playing corridor turning into one of many world’s preeminent resort casinos and had lined up different influential backers, together with the Rev. Al Sharpton and former NYPD Commissioner Invoice Bratton.
However theater homeowners, producers and theatrical labor unions strongly opposed the plan, staging boisterous protests in Instances Sq. and packing to public hearings to voice – and generally sing – their objections.
“Begin spreading the information, a on line casino can be in the way in which,” Sam Dallas, a common supervisor of Broadway reveals, crooned to the tune of “New York, New York” at a listening to on Sept. 11. “It needs to be part of it, of previous Broadway. No manner!”
Invoice Hubner, a union member who works on costumes and wardrobes for Broadway productions, mentioned his greatest concern was the destruction of the famed theatre district’s tradition.
“That is an ecosystem of artists and craftsmen and performers and vacationers and other people with small industries like eating places,” the Harlem resident mentioned as he held an indication and shirt bearing the phrase “No Instances Sq. On line casino” after Wednesday’s vote.
However different locals and employees got here to help the plan, arguing it could create new jobs.
Matt Goldman, a co-founder of the Blue Man Group, implored the committee to no less than preserve the on line casino proposal within the working so the state panel may determine.
“I can inform you first-hand that extra tourism, extra gaming brings extra folks to the eating places, brings extra folks to theater,” he mentioned.
Richard Gottfried, a committee member, mentioned his ‘no’ vote mirrored the sturdy opposition voiced at public hearings.
“Overwhelmingly, the residents of the encompassing space don’t need it,” he mentioned. “There’s a very official concern {that a} on line casino within the Instances Sq. space would do severe injury.”
Laura Smith, a committee member who voted in favor of the plan, complained that the panel’s vote befell two weeks sooner than anticipated, constraining members’ skill to completely think about the proposal.
Sharpton, who has been a vocal backer of the on line casino plan, criticized the vote as a call that preserved the traditionally white management of Instances Sq. leisure companies. The on line casino plan had promised to create a multimillion-dollar civil rights museum.
“We are going to do not forget that in the neighborhood,” Sharpton mentioned after the committee voted.
Jay-Z and different on line casino backers had insisted the on line casino wouldn’t compete with present companies within the neighborhood, however praise them.
“On line casino guests will purchase tickets, fill seats, guide dinners earlier than reveals, and preserve lodges within the space full,” he mentioned in a latest interview with Metropolis & State, a publication masking state and native politics. “We’re making a hub that attracts much more folks into the neighborhood, producing new power, new enterprise, and new alternatives for everybody.”
However Joanne Borts, an actor and musician who has lived within the space for 20 years, dismissed these claims as “fiction.”
“A on line casino doesn’t put folks on the road. The on line casino locks folks inside,” she mentioned as she rallied with different opponents within the sq. following the vote. “A on line casino helps a on line casino. ”
Two different casinos had been proposed for Manhattan: one on its West Aspect and one other on its East Aspect close to the headquarters of the United Nations.
One other group board on Wednesday rejected a kind of tasks, the Avenir, which might have been constructed close to the Jacob Okay. Javits Conference Heart and the Hudson Yards space.
Additionally within the working is a Bally’s on line casino on a public golf course within the Bronx that was as soon as run by President Donald Trump’s firm. That challenge may lead to a $115 million payday for the Republican if builders win a license.
Elsewhere, a sprawling playing corridor is envisioned alongside Coney Island’s iconic boardwalk in Brooklyn, and a Laborious Rock on line casino has been proposed subsequent to Citi Area in Queens, the place the New York Mets play.
Two “racinos” — slot parlors constructed alongside horse racing tracks — which might be situated in Yonkers and in Queens are additionally searching for a license to change into full-fledged casinos with stay desk video games akin to blackjack and poker.
The on line casino race comes after New York voters in 2013 accepted a referendum authorizing as much as seven full casinos within the state.
4 full casinos have since opened, although all of them are situated upstate, removed from Manhattan.
The state additionally has 9 playing halls providing slot machines and different digital playing machines however no stay desk video games.
