Campaigns to influence regulators and the public on proposals for a possible three casinos in New York City are in full swing, as New York officials field proposals for casino projects from Brooklyn’s Coney Island to a the Mets’ Citi Field stadium, Saks Fifth Avenue, and one of the more controversial proposals, from Caesars Entertainment and SL Green Realty Corporation, with backing from entertainer Jay-Z, for a casino in the heart of Times Square.
Local opposition to the Caesars Times Square project is strong, most recently from Broadway theater owners, hoteliers and restaurant owners.
One coalition, called No Times Square Casino, is headed by The Broadway League, the trade association representing Broadway’s theater owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers.
“Times Square is already the most heavily trafficked crossroads in the Western Hemisphere,” the coalition said, according to the New York Times.
“A casino would bring thousands of taxi drop-offs, deliveries and load-ins that will further snarl traffic and make Times Square less safe, less livable and less friendly to the pedestrians and families that drive the area’s economy. Research shows that Las Vegas aside, casinos don’t meaningfully drive new tourism. Instead, they act as magnets for local gamblers and prey on vulnerable populations.”
No Times Square Casino includes members of a separate coalition, called “Coalition for a Better Times Square.” That group includes around a dozen local restaurants, two hotel chains, and several unions, including the Actors’ Equity Association and Local 802, representing Broadway musicians.
In an interview with the Times, Max Klimavicius, owner of the century-old Sardi’s restaurant, said, “A casino in Times Square has the potential to jeopardize the character of the theater district and ultimately the fate of its restaurants. Casinos are designed to keep the gamblers inside. They have their own restaurants.”
Meanwhile, a project considered a front-runner in the New York City competition is in the midst of an aggressive campaign to establish itself as the city’s best choice.
The Freedom Plaza proposal for the Midtown East neighborhood is plugged as the most acceptable, locally, of the Manhattan proposals.
“I think we have the upper hand, because we have the best partner. I think we have the best piece of property. I think we have the best program,” said Mohegan President and CEO Ray Pineault, according to the US Bets news site.
Mohegan Gaming is partnering with the Soloviev Group on the casino and mixed-used project, which includes two residential towers that promise affordable housing and green space near the East River.
“I think we offer the best overall project for the state of New York and New York City and the community,” Pineault told US Bets. “I’m biased. In that vein, we’re reaching out to our local representatives and state representatives and letting them know we want to work with the community to make sure we bring the best product forward and that we have the best project.”
The US Bets report cites the rule set by the state’s location committee of acquiring “public support via approval of the applicable Community Advisory Committee,” as well as meeting all zoning requirements and paying the $1 million application fee.
The Soloviev Group owns the valuable 6.7-acre property near the United Nations where the project would be located, meaning using public land wouldn’t be a concern, and promoters note the record of the Mohegan tribe in nearby Connecticut, which they say will be an advantage in serving the Northeast market.
“As a Northeast operator and one of the most experienced, because we’ve been here the longest, we understand the Northeast market,” Pineault said, according to US Bets. “We know who the guests are, we know where they are, we know what their likes and dislikes are already, and we also know how to attract the high-end guests and the international travelers from having been in this area so long.”
Mohegan Gaming announced last week that if granted a license, the partnership would bring the Mohegan Momentum Partnership Program for New York City. The program aims to provide millions of dollars annually in flexible gaming-based rewards, incentivizing hotel and gaming venue guests to visit and support local businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, and more.
“With various establishments bidding to attain a gaming facility license in New York City, it is imperative for New Yorkers to consider factors beyond just local and state tax revenue gain, but also the effort that organizations are willing and able to make to better the surrounding communities and businesses,” said Ray Pineault, CEO and president of Mohegan Gaming, according to AM New York.
In a note put out by Bank of America Global Research this week, the bank projected that adding three new casinos to the New York City area would make New York the second-largest commercial gaming state in the U.S.
