NEW YORK — Times Square casino hopefuls could face their biggest adversaries yet in the form of a coalition of inner-city groups seeking to shut down a potential Caesars Palace in midtown Manhattan.
The “No Times Square Casino” coalition announced Friday its opposition to Caesars Palace Times Square: a casino project for 1515 Broadway.
Led by the Broadway League, which represents theater owners and producers, the newly formed group also enjoys the support of five neighborhood associations, a few top restaurateurs and a church.
“As competition for casino licenses in the downstate heats up this spring, the Gaming Facility Siting Board’s call for applications has made clear its intent that “only projects accepted by the community will be submitted to the board. for review. “When it comes to Times Square, the community has said a resounding ‘NO,'” reads the group’s announcement on Friday.
The coalition’s main concerns include worsening congestion in an area already congested with cars; is concerned that visitors may be tempted to stay within the casino grounds rather than patronize the existing restaurants and entertainment venues in the area; and disrupt businesses that have already “proven to create jobs and the city’s economy decade after decade.”
Restaurateurs concerned about a seismic shift in the “fabric of the theater district” include famed restaurants Sardi’s, Joe Allen and Orso, and Bar Centrale.
“Small businesses in our community have had to overcome profound challenges since the pandemic: A casino project in Times Square is creating unnecessary dangers that we shouldn’t face,” said Mary Hattman of Joe Allen and Orso restaurants.
Competition for the few casino licenses currently up for grabs in upstate New York has been heating up for months. At least eight bids have been submitted for the three available places.
The lure of a brand new casino and the revenue that could come with it drew bidders in nearly every borough of the city, as well as Long Island. Many are hoping that Queens Aqueduct Racetrack and Yonkers Raceway will have one as they already have slot machines.
Competition has become fierce for what is believed to be the remaining license up for grabs, with contenders including plans for a Ferris wheel and a casino on the east side near the UN, a rooftop casino at Saks Fifth Avenue, one at Hudson Yards, another next to the Nassau Coliseum, and a plan to remove the Trump name from Trump Links and build a casino in the Bronx. And don’t forget the deals on Coney Island, Times Square and the land next to Citi Field.
As competition increases, so does opposition, as the latest Times Square ad shows. But other plans, including the Citi Field proposal, have found vocal detractors among community organizers.
The decision on casino licensing will rest with the state-controlled Gaming Commission. Any guidance on the direction of these applications was expected for spring or summer.