Soloviev Group announced that Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has joined its bid as the casino partner of Freedom Plaza, a proposed casino near United Nations headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
Soloviev owns a 6.7-acre parcel in Midtown East, where it is proposing a mostly underground casino with a 1,200-room hotel, two residential towers, a “Democracy Museum” and a massive Ferris wheel.
“Mohegan is known for the wide array of extraordinary experiences and exceptional service we provide our guests—but it is truly our culture, values and commitment to our community that set us apart as an organization,” said Ray Pineault, president and CEO of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “Our rich Mohegan heritage provides the foundation for how we operate our business and guides our commitment to our employees, our approach to guest services and our relationship with partners and the communities in which we operate and serve. We look forward to infusing our ‘Spirit of Aquai,’ our guiding philosophy, into New York state.”
“As a leader in socially responsible development, we will honor, complement and advance Mohegan’s principles through sustainable and carbon-neutral property development,” said Stefan Soloviev, chairman of Soloviev Group. “This strategic partnership will not only ensure that Freedom Plaza will be ethically developed, but provide long-term economic prosperity for the local community, a positive impression on regional and international tourism, and a lasting impact on New York City for generations to come.”
In addition to what it calls “the world’s first museum dedicated to the celebration of freedom and democracy,” Freedom Plaza will also include a substantial green area, a state-of-the-art performance venue. The company says the residential towers “will work towards satisfying the city’s critical shortage of housing.”
The immediate surrounding area is largely undeveloped in terms of real estate, providing an opportunity for access without undue disruption, Soloviev said in a press release. Connected to the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive and numerous bus stops, Freedom Plaza is a short walk from the 34th Street ferry and Grand Central Station. The development team will also explore providing additional dedicated ferry service.
The bid for one of three available New York downstate licenses will compete with Las Vegas Sands, Saks Fifth Avenue, Vornado, MLB Mets owner Steve Cohen, MGM Resorts, Genting Malaysia, Caesars and SL Green Realty, Wynn Resorts and a consortium comprising Saratoga, Legends and Thor Equities.
For the Las Vegas Sands project, the company has agreed to partner with Nassau Community College (NCC) to make the college the primary training center for its proposed casino resort at the site of the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York.
The college, part of the State University of New York system, is known for its associate degrees, certificates and workforce development programs in diverse fields of study.
“Our company has a strong track record of partnering with a variety of educational organizations to put people on pathways to success in the hospitality industry and help them build the skills they need to increase their earning power,” Robert G. Goldstein, LVS chairman and CEO, said in a joint statement from the company and the college.
“We are making the same commitment to the Long Island community, and have an excellent partner with an aligned vision to do so in working with Nassau Community College. We look forward to investing in people with any skill set or background who have a desire to be part of this exciting new industry planned for Long Island.”
Genette Alvarez-Ortiz, acting vice president of academic affairs at NCC, said that the college is renovating a freestanding building on its north campus to serve as the home to its Culinary Arts program, which offers the Associate in Occupational Studies degree. The building is expected to be completed in 2024.
“The college’s programs are designed to educate individuals for a wide range of jobs in current and emerging fields,” Alvarez-Ortiz said in the statement. “We offer excellent programs for particular skill areas such as food service and nutrition, sales and marketing, cybersecurity and information technology, world languages and cultures, and theater and music.”
LVS is one of several operators vying for one of three downstate New York casino licenses.
