The high-stakes game of bringing a casino into Manhattan has felt an abrupt halt as not one, but three proposals have been knocked out by local panels, entrusted with the power to give a green or red light to these major developments. As reported by Gothamist, community advisory committees, the gatekeepers established by New York lawmakers in a piece of 2022 legislation, have decisively voted down projects at Times Square, the West Side, and near the United Nations.
These panels, one for each proposal, were mandated to securely require a two-thirds majority to pass any casino project through. Designed to amplify the voices of local residents over those of investors and developers, they have now proven to be the endgame for the potential casino landmarks. In the words of Manhattan State Sen. Liz Krueger, who played a critical role in the establishment of these panels, "I'm taking credit, damn it," she told Gothamist in a tone carrying the weight of victory.
Meanwhile, a collective sigh of relief was heard from Atlantic City, as the dismissal of these bids by Manhattan to open a casino was deemed a victory for the prominent gambling destination. Senator Vince Polistina of Atlantic County, according to an interview with Audacy, expressed his perspective, "It’s an incredible sigh of relief. I mean, we would have survived; some of our properties here — Borgata, Hard Rock, Ocean Resort Casino — are doing incredibly well. But we still have nine of them, and the other six, you know, if you start competing with yourselves, maybe in North Jersey or potentially in Manhattan, there was a significant concern for some of the other properties that are not doing as well as some of the bigger guys."
This development could also to potentially signify the end of the road for debates on a casino in North Jersey, marking a pause in the expansion of gambling facilities in the region. Still, five proposals are on the table for the remaining three available casino licenses in New York, with upcoming votes for MGM and Resorts World proposals, as noted by Gothamist. The Coney Island proposal, however, stands on shaky ground, as multiple community advisory committee members have pledged their opposition.
