In a decisive move, Manhattan's Community Board 4 has unanimously voted against the proposed $12 billion casino complex in Hudson Yards. This rejection could spell serious challenges for the ambitious project planned by Related Companies and Wynn Resorts.
The board, representing the Hudson Yards neighborhood, made its position clear. Their vote was against a necessary zoning change that would allow the glitzy development to proceed.
Competing groups have proposed the Wynn and 10 other casino projects in the city and nearby suburbs. They must submit their applications to the state Gaming Commission by June. By the end of the year, the commission expects to announce up to three license winners.
Is This the End of the Hudson Yards Casino Project?
Although the board's decision is advisory, it holds significant weight in the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process. The final decision will rest with the City Council and city planners under Mayor Eric Adams' administration.
Prominent community figure Joshua David, co-founder of The High Line, expressed strong opposition during the meeting. He described the casino project to The New York Post as reflecting "greed and disregard for the community."
David, who has been a Chelsea resident for 38 years, argued that replacing a thoughtfully designed mixed-use neighborhood with a "Las Vegas-style monstrosity" is inappropriate for Manhattan's West Side. "If we wanted to live in Las Vegas," David remarked, "we would live in Las Vegas."
Lack of Housing Said To Be a Deal-Breaker
Another reason the community board opposed the project was due to significant reductions from the 2009 agreement with developer Related, which initially promised 5,700 housing units.
The new proposal reduced this to 1,500 units, with only 324 being affordable. These changes fueled a petition called Protect the High Line at the Rail Yards, which had 3,400 signatures.
“We're in the midst of a housing crisis, and this plan removes much-needed housing. New York's public land deserves better use than this proposal,” said Alan van Capelle, executive director of Friends of the High Line, to The Gothamist
What Would the Casino Project Look Like?
The proposed plan includes an 80-story tower overlooking the Hudson River, housing a casino and a hotel. This skyscraper would be part of a larger development plan featuring office buildings, apartment towers, and a spacious 5.6-acre park.
Despite these amenities, the community board's rejection underscores the hurdles the casino project faces in moving forward. Although others have shown support for the idea in the past, it appears that it has driven a wedge between politicians and constituents.
Who Else is Vying for a Downstate Casino License?
Genting's Resorts World New York City at Aqueduct and MGM Resorts International's Empire City in Yonkers are applying for licenses to offer live table games.
Other contenders for a state casino license include:
- Jay-Z's Roc Nation bid to create a Caesars Palace Times Square casino
- A project by Stefan Soloviev and Mohegan Sun along the East River on what's billed as the largest undeveloped lot in Manhattan
- The Las Vegas Sands project at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale
- SL Green’s proposed $4B transformation of 1515 Broadway into a Caesars Palace casino
- A plan to develop an $8 billion "Metropolitan Park" casino-entertainment complex with Hard Rock near Citi Field in Queens
- The Avenir is a proposed casino, hotel, entertainment, and residential complex in Manhattan that's being developed by Silverstein Properties and Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment at West 41st Street and 11th Avenue, north of the Jacob Javits Center
New York State is considering three casino licenses in New York City, Long Island and the northern suburbs. While the state considers these bids for physical casinos, online casinos remain illegal in New York.
The winning bidders would have to pay a $500 million license fee if chosen.
