Proposed West Side Casinos Are Kaput After Decisive “No” Votes

West Side Manhattanites will have to look elsewhere to get their gambling fix, after two (much-hyped) casino proposals in the neighborhood were voted down by key community panels, each by a measure of four votes to two.

For those following the proceedings closely, this means that neither Silverstein’s $7-billion “Avenir” project nor Caesars Palace & SL Green’s $5.4-billion Times Square bid will not be moving forward. The votes followed well-attended public hearings on the projects.

By Sept. 22, the remaining Manhattan contender—Soloviev Group’s “Freedom Plaza” proposal, which would have been located near the United Nations—had been shot down by the same vote count.

The Sept. 17 West Side votes were conducted by “Community Advisory” committees, which were composed of representatives appointed by various government officials: Governor Kathy Hochul, Borough President Mark Levine, Mayor Eric Adams, State Assembly Member Tony Simone, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and City Council Member Erik Bottcher. Representatives for the mayor and the governor provided the only “yes” votes.

In statements blasted out after the votes, Simone and Bottcher praised their appointed committee representatives for being among the “no” crowd.

“From the outset of this process I have said we must center this decision on the will of our community,” Simone said in a statement. “Today’s vote to stop both casino proposals is a reflection of the community’s wishes. We will continue working with partners to deliver future wins for the West Side that bring housing, education, economic opportunity, safety, and quality-of-life improvements for everyone.”

Bottcher similarly heralded the vote as an expression of the community’s wishes: “Following countless conversations with constituents in coffee shops, living rooms, and on street corners, extensive public engagement, and careful deliberation, I have reached the decision not to support the two remaining casino license applications in Council District 3.”

“This is not a decision I took lightly. All economic development opportunities deserve strong consideration. I believe casinos must clear a particularly high bar, requiring a uniquely strong degree of community buy-in before being sited in a neighborhood. Despite extensive outreach by the applicants, that level of support has not materialized,” he added.

Developers were hoping to snag one of three downstate licenses being dangled by the New York State Gaming Commission, promising opulent entertainment and recreation, as well as job creation and development.

The Caesars Palace Times Square bid earned prominent support from Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Meanwhile, the towering Avenir project—proposed to be built at West 41st Street and Eleventh Avenue—came with the promise of 2,000 new residential apartments, 500 of which would have reportedly been “permanently affordable.” Both projects would have involved the construction of luxury hotels.

“We are disappointed by today’s decision and process. Caesars Palace Times Square was a visionary proposal that aimed to address long-standing challenges through meaningful private investment,” Caesars Palace said in a statement. “We are proud of the work we’ve done over the past five years and grateful to the hundreds of organizations, businesses, Broadway artists, labor unions, and residents who supported this effort. Their courage and commitment to a better future for Times Square have been inspiring.”

“Obviously, we are disappointed that our West Side elected officials didn’t see a path forward for The Avenir project,” Silverstein Chief Operating Officer Diane Fusco said in a statement provided to Straus News. “We are grateful to everyone who has supported this project and partnered with our team throughout this process and appreciate their confidence in our vision for the Far West Side,” she added.

A Hudson Yards casino bid by Related Co. also sputtered out earlier this year, after concerted community opposition was channeled through a “Protect the High Line” campaign.