Times Square Casino Proposal Sparks Local Outrage

MIDTOWN, NY — The public comment period for the much-debated application to build a Caesars Palace casino on Broadway between West 44th and 45th streets officially kicked off on Wednesday, with the first public hearing.

The casino is one of eight applicants vying for three contracts to open a casino in the five boroughs, which will be chosen by the end of this year.

Though the website for Caesars Palace Times Square calls itself a "vital plan" for the theater-laden neighborhood, several neighborhood groups have opposed the project, saying it would significantly change the neighborhood and harm existing businesses and residents.

"This casino remains an existential threat to Broadway and our entire neighborhood," Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, said at the public hearing. "If you approve this casino, it will mean fewer jobs and fewer people working on Broadway. The developers have chosen to put a casino on Broadway's doorstep to profit off the tourists and audiences the theater industry brings to Times Square."

The Caesars Palace Times Square casino venture is brought on by Jay-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation, as well as SL Green and Caesars Entertainment, and has support from several trade unions and companies in the area.

The casino, if approved, would convert an already-existing building into a hotel with three restaurants, a nightclub, a spa and, of course, gambling space. In order to sweeten the deal, the casino's owners have promised more than $100 million in programs to support the surrounding neighborhood.

"Local businesses will directly benefit from the Caesars rewards point exchange program, which will allow businesses and restaurants to accept Caesars rewards points," Jerrell Gibbs said at the public hearing in support of the project. "The Caesars Palace project will keep the light shining bright in Times Square and make sure New York City remains the best place to visit and live in the world."

The public hearing is going on until 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Scandinavia House, which is located at 58 Park Ave. in Manhattan.

For New Yorkers who cannot attend the hearing in person but wish to comment, the board is accepting public comments via email at CaesarsTimesSqPublicComment@nystec.com.

A Community Advisory Committee will vote on whether to approve the project by Sept. 30, before the application goes before the Gaming Facility Location Board for a final vote.

To watch the public hearing live, click here.

The Caesars Palace Times Square casino, if approved, would be located at 1515 Broadway.

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