Caesars Palace Times Square Casino Proposal Draws Dueling Rallies on Eve of Application Deadline

^{Laborer’s Union 79 came out in full force Thursday to show their support for a Caesars casino in New York City’s Times Square.  (Photo: Steve Sanchez / Sipa US / Alamy Live)}

Both opponents and supporters of the Caesars Palace Times Square casino proposal came out in force this week in an effort to show what the community wants – or doesn’t want – in its New York neighborhood.

A coalition of groups opposed to the casino bid held their rally on Wednesday, June 25, with prospective developers SL Green, Caesars Entertainment, and Roc Nation touting a gathering of supporters on Thursday in Father Duffy Square on Thursday, June 26.

Rallies Highlight Both Sides of Times Square Casino Debate

The dates of the rallies were notable, as they came just before the June 27 application deadline for interested parties to submit their bids for the three available downstate New York casino licenses. 

The opposition to the casino met at Times Square’s Red Stairs, also located in Duffy Square. Leading groups that have come out against the proposed casino include the Broadway League, several block associations, the Shubert Organization, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union. 

“With Broadway breaking records and crime down in Times Square, developer’s pitch that their casino will ‘solve problems’ falls flat with the people who have turned around Midtown,” opponents said in an announcement of the rally. “Broadway’s recent record-breaking season is further evidence that the pandemic-era casino proposal is out of touch with the neighborhood and its resurgence.”

The opposition was nearby and ominous, but in the form of signs not people. (Photo: Steve Sanchez / Sipa US / Alamy Live)

At the rally itself, opponents said that no matter what the casino developers offered, the motivation was profit, not improving the community.

“They are looking to profit on the backs of residents, local businesses, and the theater workers, producers, and owners who have brought us back from the pandemic,” Broadway League President Jason Laks said. “SL Green and Caesars can continue to promise millions of dollars to buy a veneer of support, but the residents and workers of this neighborhood see through it.”

Sharpton: Times Square Casino ‘About Empowerment’

The mood was markedly different at the pro-casino rally on Thursday. In a press release, developers called the event a “boisterous rally of over 1,000 people,” and said that their final proposal “reflects the input and priorities shared across hundreds of hours of presentations and listening sessions…designed to uniquely benefit the surrounding community and all of New York City.”

Among the speakers at the rally was Reverend Al Sharpton, who threw his support behind the casino bid.

“Caesars Palace Times Square isn’t just about entertainment – it’s about empowerment,” Sharpton said. “This project is setting a historic new precedent by giving everyday New Yorkers, especially those from historically excluded communities, the chance to invest in and benefit from the future of this city.”

Al Sharpton is there, letting folks know there’s a New York celebrity set behind the Times Square casino license proposal. (Photo: Steve Sanchez / Sipa US / Alamy Live)

The developers also highlighter their own list of supportive unions, including Actors Equity, the American Federation of Musicians, and multiple construction unions.

While there are signs that local opposition to the proposal is significant, the developers have attempted to win over locals with a $250 million pledge to community projects, including a recent announcement of a $5 million pledge to support the Callen-Lorde Center for Excellence in Sexual Health. Locals will also have the ability to invest in the casino at a starting price of $500.

Caesars Palace Times Square is expected to be one of eight bids submitted to New York’s Gaming Facility Location Board by the end of day on June 27. The proposal is one of several strong contenders for the three available licenses, which also include two racinos in Yonkers and Queens, the Metropolitan Park bid adjacent to Citi Field, and additional proposals in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.