Casino dreams in Manhattan dashed as final proposal fails – Competitors in other boroughs remain
A casino will not be coming to Manhattan after the final casino proposal for Freedom Plaza got rejected. BonusFinder, an online casinos comparison site, gives you the latest on the NYC casino bid.
Located just a few blocks away from the United Nations headquarters in New York City, the proposed Freedom Plaza casino lost a key vote at the start of the week, meaning this proposal won’t advance any further.
The developers had a plan for a casino, plus two hotels in partnership with the Mohegan Tribe, which would have been located on First Avenue between 38th and 41st Street on Manhattan’s East Side.
However, this proposal was voted 4-2 against by a Community Advisory Committee and the wait must go on for a casino in the borough of Manhattan.
Jay-Z-backed casino also out of the bid
Last week, a Caesars Palace casino, which was also backed by musician Jay-Z, was rejected following stern opposition from Broadway theatre owners and producers. The casino was to be built in Times Square, but it won’t go ahead now.
“While we are disappointed by the outcome, our commitment to New York remains unwavering“, Caesars said in a statement.
“We are proud of our strong partnerships across the state as anchored by our Caesars Sportsbook platform, where we continue to invest and innovate to serve New Yorkers. New York is a dynamic part of our national footprint, and we look forward to exploring future opportunities.”
Elsewhere, communities also voted against The Avenir casino bid that was going to be located in Hudson Yards.
As such, there are still several contenders for the three downstate casino licenses being handed out, but none will appear in the Manhattan area. This whittles the proposals down from eight to five.
Five downstate proposals are still in contention for New York casino license
These five downstate proposals are located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Yonkers and two in Queens.
The proposed casinos are Bally’s Bronx at Ferry Point, The Coney in Brooklyn, MGM Empire City in Yonkers, Metropolitan Park at Citi Field and finally, Resorts World New York City at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
In order to be considered by New York’s Gaming Facility Location Board, for one of the three casino licenses, each proposal will have to win the support of its local Community Advisory Committee.
These casinos will add plenty of entertainment value at their respective locations, as well as fiscal perks, but the heart of New York will have to wait to see a fully fledged casino grace the borough of Manhattan.
“Manhattan is the undisputed capital of the world, and it deserved a fully integrated resort that would have attracted visitors while serving the needs of its community,” said Michael Hershman, CEO of the Soloviev Group; who was the lead developer on the more than $11bn project.
For the other five casinos still in the running for a coveted license, the votes by the Community Advisory Board must be made by September 30, 2025.
