No Manhattan Casino as CAC Votes Down Mohegan Resort Near United Nations

^{Hopes for a casino in Manhattan have come to an end after the Freedom Plaza proposal, backed by Mohegan and Soloviev, was voted down by the CAC. (Photo: Andres Garcia Martin / Alamy)}

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing the Freedom Plaza casino proposal voted 4-2 against advancing the bid, ending the hopes for developers hoping to bring a resort to Manhattan.

The vote follows earlier 4-2 decisions against Times Square Caesars Palace and The Avenir, leaving five other projects still competing for three available downstate casino licenses in New York.

Last Manhattan Casino Standing Fails to Gain Local Support

While the composition of the Freedom Plaza CAC differed somewhat from the other two committees that voted down Manhattan casino projects, the general outcome was the same. Only representatives of New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams voted in favor of the proposal, while the four members appointed by local lawmakers voted against it.

The Freedom Plaza resort, which would have been located in Midtown East near the United Nations, was being developed by the Soloviev Group in partnership with Mohegan Sun. In the days before Monday’s vote, the developers tried to improve their approval odds by pledging to build more than 1,000 affordable housing units as part of the project. But it wasn’t enough to win over CAC members, since four positive votes were needed for the proposal to go forward to the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board.

Following the vote, Soloviev Group CEO Michael Hershman expressed disappointment in the decision.

“Manhattan is the undisputed capital of the world, and it deserved a fully integrated resort that would have attracted visitors while serving the needs of its community,” Hershman said in a statement.

Coney Island Casino Likely to Suffer Similar Fate

The five remaining bids for casino licenses will all face similar CAC votes by a Sept. 30 deadline, with prospects of these proposals varying greatly.

While no date has been set for a vote on The Coney, four CAC members have said that they will vote against it, likely dooming the project.

Meanwhile, The Empire City and Resorts World New York City racinos – located in Yonkers and Queens respectively – have votes scheduled for Thursday, along with the Metropolitan Park proposal adjacent to Citi Field. Unlike the Manhattan or The Coney proposals, these three bids have attracted stronger local support and seem to have reasonable expectations of passing their respective CAC votes. 

The future of Bally’s Bronx remains up in the air. While the project was nearly killed by the New York City Council, it was saved by a veto from Mayor Adams, and many local politicians in the Bronx are in favor of the project. A date for the final vote on the bid has yet to be set, though only Danielle Volpe – appointed by City Council Member Kristy Marmorato – appears to be a clear no vote.

Only bids that are approved by their respective CACs will move forward to the Gaming Facility Location Board, which will determine the three license winners by year’s end.