New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez has introduced two bills, SB 10400 and SB 10401, which aim to restrict billboard ads for gambling, sports betting, tobacco, alcohol,...
New York rejects two Times Square casino proposals
New York’s race for new casino licenses just got smaller after officials shut down two proposals to bring casinos to Times Square.
One of the bids came from Caesars Palace and SL Green Realty, with backing from rapper Jay-Z. It was ultimately rejected by a state-appointed advisory committee after pushback from actors, theater workers, and local restaurant owners.
Reacting to the decision in a video on X, SL Green CEO Marc Holliday didn’t hold back, calling it a cowardly move that ignored the many people who could have benefited from the project.
Dino Fusco, Chief Operating Officer at Silverstein, shared in a statement:
“Obviously, we are disappointed that our West Side elected officials didn’t see a path forward for The Avenir project. We are grateful to everyone who has supported this project and partnered with our team throughout this process and appreciate their confidence in our vision for the Far West Side.”
The second rejected proposal came from Rush Street Gaming, Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, and Silverstein Properties. Called The West Side project, it didn’t get enough votes to advance to the New York Facility Location Board. With both Times Square plans now off the table, only one of the remaining bids still aims to bring a casino to Manhattan.
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