Poker Writer
A Monday vote from a community advisory committee rejected the proposed Freedom Plaza casino bid in the race for a downstate New York license. That confirms that no casino project in Manhattan will win a license after two other proposals were similarly rejected.
The vote went 4-2 against the planned casino, which also included two hotels. It was the last remaining bid to bring a casino to New York City’s most central and densely populated borough.
The vote from the committee was livestreamed on Monday at 10 a.m. local time. Developers held their breath as they waited for the decision. The bid was led by developers Soloviev Group, Mohegan, and Banyan Group. The proposed location was on First Avenue between 38th and 41st Street on the East side of Manhattan, blocks from the United Nations Headquarters, which hosts the UN General Assembly this week.
Bidders made a last-ditch effort move the needle by promising affordable housing on the eve of the vote. They hoped to pitch the bid as “much more” than a casino and a vision for the whole neighborhood. Michael Hershman, Soloviev Group CEO, said back in May that the bid had public support. A poll seemed to affirm that, with 57% of those polled in favor.
This poll reaffirms what we’ve heard directly from the community — New Yorkers need good paying jobs, open green spaces, and housing options that working families can afford. As four-generation residents of this area, the Soloviev family is deeply committed to delivering what our neighbors value most and creating a project that will serve the city for generations to come.
That appeared not to sway the committee, though.
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Other Manhattan Bids Rejected
Bringing a casino to the borough of Manhattan proved a fruitless endeavor for each party involved. Just last week, a community advisory committee voted the Caesars Times Square bid down after heavy opposition from the Broadway League. That bid also made attempts to connect with local groups, dangling money to assuage opposition, but it likewise failed to garner enough support.
On the West side, the result was the same. The community advisory committee rejected the Hudson Yards casino bid at the same time as the Times Square bid.
Silverstein Properties COO, Dino Fusco, summed up the frustration that all of the bidders are likely feeling:
It’s just very disappointing after working two and a half months with the CAC, and over two years with various constituents to put forth a proposal that we thought took into consideration everything that the elected officials wanted, the community board, and the hundreds of community residents that we met with.
While the quest to get a casino in Manhattan has died, several bids in other New York City boroughs remain alive. The Metropolitan Park proposal in Queens is one of the favorites. It will be competing with bids based in Yonkers, Coney Island, and the Bronx.
