A community board has rejected plans to build a Mohegan Sun casino resort in Manhattan.
Titled the Freedom Plaza development, the proposal was denied by a state-commissioned community advisory committee on a 4-2 vote. It included hotels, retail, dining, entertainment and housing.
Committee members were appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and other local politicians.
In a last ditch effort to gain local support, developers revealed last weekend they would commit to making more than 1,000 residential units proposed for the project permanently afforadable.
Other community investments were also pledged, such as a museum, a community centre, a daycare and acres of public open space.
The Soloviev Group led the development and its CEO, Michael Hershman, said its vision would have “revitalised” Manhattan:
“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.”
The project spanned more than six acres from 38th Street to 41st Street east of First Avenue and was the last remaining proposal under consideration for Manhattan.
When approached for a response by the Independent, spokespersons for Mohegan Sun, the tribe-owned casino company in Connecticut, did not respond.
One of the planet’s most famous rappers Jay-Z backed plans to build a Caesars Palace casino in Times Square which was voted down by a community board last week alongside another gambling resort on Manhattan’s West Side in the Hudson Yards area.
There are three state gambling licences up for grabs in the New York City are and five proposals are now remaining in the race – including a Bally’s casino on a Bronx public golf course, a gambling hall on Coney Island’s boardwalk in Brooklyn and a Hard Rock casino next to Citi Field in Queens, the home of the MLB’s New York Mets.
Local board approval is necessary for proposals to advance to the next stage and New York gambling regulators are expected to make a final decision in December.
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
