There will be no casino in Manhattan after a community panel rejected a proposed Mohegan Sun resort near the United Nations headquarters. The Freedom Plaza development, which also called for hotels, retail, dining, entertainment, and housing, was denied by a state-commissioned community advisory committee on a 4-2 vote Monday, the AP reports. Committee members, who were appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, and other New York politicians, cast their votes with barely any discussion, other than to thank the applicants for their time and responsiveness.
In a last-minute bid for support, the developers announced over the weekend that they would commit to making the more than 1,000 residential units proposed for the project permanently affordable. They had earlier proposed other community investments, such as a museum dedicated to democracy, a community center, day care, and acres of public open space. Michael Hershman, CEO of the Soloviev Group that was the lead developer on the more than $11 billion project, said the vision would have revitalized Midtown East. "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," he said in a statement.
The project, spanning more than six acres from 38th Street to 41st Street east of First Avenue, had been the last remaining proposal under consideration for Manhattan. A plan backed by Jay-Z to build a Caesars Palace casino in Times Square and another proposal to build a gambling resort on Manhattan's West Side in the Hudson Yards area were both voted down by two other community boards last week. Five proposals remain in the race for up to three lucrative state gambling licenses for the New York City area. Local board approval is required for proposals to advance to the next stage in the competition. State gambling regulators expect to make their final decision in December.
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