Manhattan casino plan nixed as state panel blocks bid

A state siting board on Monday rejected the Manhattan bid to host a casino, ending the borough’s last potential entry in New York’s nascent casino competition. The plan, dubbed Freedom Plaza, was a joint venture of the Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun and would have occupied a site on First Avenue in Midtown East. In a 4-2 vote by the six-member community advisory group, four members opposed the plan and two supported it, reflecting persistent neighborhood opposition and concerns about traffic, crime and quality-of-life impacts. The decision blocks the proposal from moving to the next step in the licensing process, effectively ending Manhattan’s pursuit of a casino for the foreseeable future, at least for the time being. The rejection comes days after two other Manhattan bids—one for Times Square and one for the Far West Side—also failed to overcome local resistance.

Approval by the local advisory group is required to advance to the state Gaming Commission's downstate site-location board, which would consider Manhattan's bid along with other contenders for up to three downstate licenses. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams supported Freedom Plaza, but their positions alone could not overcome opposition on the advisory board. The plan drew pushback from several Brooklyn officials who sit on the advisory board and opposed the project, underscoring broad concerns about the city’s approach to casino development.

The rejection comes as a wave of opposition to other Manhattan ambitions already faced hurdles. In Brooklyn, three elected officials — Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton and Councilman Justin Brannan — issued statements Monday opposing the broader effort in the borough. Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny is also opposed. Their offices or representatives sit on the advisory board and are expected to oppose the Coney Island bid, known as “The Coney,” as part of the broader political headwinds facing any local casino proposal.

Votes on other proposals are still pending as the state proceeds with a broader competition for up to three downstate licenses. Bids include Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock near Citi Field in Queens and Bally’s at the former Trump golf course in the Bronx. Separately, Genting Resorts World by the Aqueduct racetrack and MGM Empire City in Yonkers have proposals to offer live table games at their existing racino facilities. Those votes are scheduled for Thursday, with all local siting boards required to complete their reviews by Sept. 30. The Gaming Commission is expected to render a final license decision by year’s end.

The broader arc of the process aims to spread casinos across downstate New York, leveraging competition among bidders while balancing local opposition and practical siting considerations. If the remaining bids survive the local advisory and statewide location-board hurdles, they will still need to win the Gaming Commission’s final approvals before any license is issued. The dynamic underscores how neighborhood sentiment, political support, and regulatory timing will shape the state’s approach to legalized gambling in the New York City area.