According to The New York Post, a poll of New Yorkers living in the West Manhattan districts of State Senator Brad Hoylman, City Councilman Erik Bottcher and Assemblyman Tony Simone found that a majority of residents don’t want to see casino development in their area.
Part of the reason is that a high-rise hotel and casino will block their view of the High Line and the sunlight. The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side.
The proposed 80-story casino and hotel tower would overlook the Hudson River. The tower is set to stand on an elevated platform between West 30th and West 33rd Streets, and 11th and 12th Avenues. Known as the Wynn New York City plan, the project also features surrounding office buildings, residential towers and a 5.6-acre park.
The development is one of about a dozen projects competing for three casino licenses available in the downstate region. Casino projects have also been proposed in Times Square, near CitiField, at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island and at the Bally's Links golf course in the Bronx, among other locations.
What the New York Casino Survey Found
Public Policy Polling conducted a survey for Friends of the High Line, questioning 1,298 voters. Over half of the respondents, 53%, stated they would be less inclined to support their local elected representative if the casino development proceeds. In contrast, 11% said they would be more supportive, and 25% felt it wouldn't affect their support.
Additionally, 70% of voters believe that building a new 6-million-square-foot development, including a casino and three skyscrapers, next to the northern part of The High Line would negatively impact the nearby West Side communities.
The poll's results have a margin of error of ±2.7 percentage points.
Majority Also Oppose Required Zoning Changes
The project is a joint venture between Related Companies, Oxford Properties Group and Wynn Resorts. Related Companies has already secured city approval to construct office and residential towers on the undeveloped site, but the addition of a casino would require substantial alterations to these plans.
To move forward, the casino proposal and its associated zoning changes must receive approval from both the state and city. However, the Friends of the High Line survey revealed that 56% of West Side voters oppose the zoning changes needed for the casino development over the Western Rail Yards, with only 24% in support.
If Wynn New York City was granted a license and the project gets the go-ahead, the state gaming commission plans to issue licenses by Dec. 31, 2025.
