Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioThe New York casino licensing process continued this week, with the Caesars Palace Times Square proposal receiving its first Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on July 23.
Representatives from the partners, including SL Green Realty, Caesars Entertainment, and Roc Nation, which includes hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, pitched an economic boost and investment in the local community.
The six-member committee, appointed by the Governor, Mayor, Manhattan Borough President, City Council member, State Senator, and Assembly member for the district where the bid is located, has until September 30 to decide whether to advance the application to the Gaming Facility Location Board.
The CAC must hold at least two public hearings and a final vote. For the application to advance, it must receive four affirmative votes from the panel. Caesars Palace Times Square is one of eight casino bidders fighting for three available licenses.
Developers Emphasize Community Integration and Adaptive Reuse
Speakers for SL Green, which owns the 53-story building at 1515 Broadway where the project will be located, included CEO Mark Holliday and Executive VP Brett Herschenfeld.
Holliday emphasized that the company’s development plan is adaptive reuse of a 55-year-old office building, not demolition or expansion:
“Instead of knocking the building down, the project is going to leverage this existing building, avoiding massive greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of raw materials that necessarily come with brand new construction.”
“It can be delivered quickly. Speed to open is a huge advantage here… No new shadows, no new wind tunnels, no upset to the street grid.”
Holliday also emphasized that Times Square, as a tourist destination, already has transportation infrastructure and can host a world-class gaming destination.
Herschenfeld called the project an “elevated entertainment experience,” suited to the world’s greatest entertainment district.
Caesars Promotes Responsible Gaming and Job Creation
Caesars Entertainment’s Senior Vice President, Brian Agnew, reinforced the company’s commitment to player protection and public safety.
He emphasized that “there will be no gaming activities on the ground floor or visible from the street level.” He also noted that Caesars will implement a globally recognized responsible gaming program.
Agnew also touched on job creation, promising 4,000 permanent and 3,000 union construction jobs.
Roc Nation Frames Proposal as ‘Additive,’ Not Competitive
Roc Nation emphasized the local connection. CEO Desiree Perez noted that the company began in Times Square and has long collaborated with community organizations, including Covenant House, Hudson Guild, and Manhattan Plaza.
She called the partnership with Caesars and SL Green a “value-aligned investment.”
Jay-Z echoed that sentiment:
“We’re not coming to compete with Broadway. We’re coming to add. We come to be additive.”
$250 Million Community Investment Package Unveiled
During the CAC meeting, the team also unveiled a $250 million 10-year community investment plan. Some highlights include:
- $22.5 million over 15 years for Manhattan Plaza, an affordable housing complex primarily housing Broadway workers
- A 0.5% profit-sharing agreement with Manhattan Plaza, managed by a resident trust
- $98 million for Broadway workers: child care, health care, student debt relief, and job support
- $81 million toward public safety infrastructure
- $5 million donation to Callen-Lorde, an LGBTQ+ health center
- $15 million toward establishing a Civil Rights Museum
- Over $25 million for sanitation, public restrooms, and streetscape improvement
- $7.9 million in traffic mitigation
- A 24/7 Ambucycle™ emergency response service with response times under three minutes.
The developers estimated the project could generate $800 million annually in retail spending, $7 billion in tax revenue in the first decade, and $26 billion in spillover revenue for nearby businesses.
Actors’ Equity Voices Support
In a remote appearance, Al Vincent Jr., executive director of Actors Equity Association, endorsed the proposal. The association represents about 51,000 members nationwide, with over 25,000 members in New York State alone.
Vincent Jr. commented on the community package:
“This team stepped up with $20 million for daycare, and that’s a game changer… This makes living and working in the theater district sustainable.”
He also praised the plan’s labor protections, student loan commitment, healthcare subsidies, and monthly job fairs designed explicitly for theater professionals between shows.
CAC Members Press Developers on Oversight, Traffic, and Community Support
CAC Chair Carl Wilson asked for clarity on how the $250 million community benefits package would be governed and implemented. Though developers did not outline full governance structures, Holliday responded with a personal assurance:
“My word is my bond. I’ve never overpromised and underdelivered in my career.”
Committee member Matthew Tighe raised questions about the increased traffic and whether the team has demonstrable support from actual residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The project partners stressed Times Square’s unmatched connectivity and described the area as “one of the most transit-rich locations in all of New York City.” They referenced ongoing traffic and pedestrian studies.
Regarding community backing, the developers noted support from over 200 organizations and businesses. Some committee members pushed back, though, saying that more support is needed from actual residents.
Former Assemblymember Richard Gottfried raised concerns about traffic and public safety. In response, the team highlighted the $81 million public safety plan, which includes coordination with former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton.
