Caesars’ NYC Times Square Casino Plan Gain More Support

New York, September 11 — A proposal to bring a Caesars Palace-branded entertainment and gaming venue to Times Square faces its final hearing today, with support from a key neighbouring business alliance adding momentum to the bid.

The Garment District Alliance (GDA) Officer’s Committee, representing the interests of New York’s historic fashion and design hub, formally expressed its endorsement of the project in a letter dated September 4 to City Councillor Erik Bottcher, who holds significant influence over the outcome.

The letter highlighted the proposal’s potential to stimulate investment in the wider midtown area, particularly in infrastructure and public safety. “We heard from the Garment District Alliance officers that the Garment District is in need of capital investment and enhanced security for the public realm,” said Brett Herschenfeld, Executive Vice President at developer SL Green, one of the project’s key partners. “We are proud that Caesars Palace Times Square will directly address these needs with millions in investments for the neighbourhood that will help improve and enhance the area.”

 

A High-Profile Partnership

The Times Square proposal is a joint venture between Caesars Entertainment, Manhattan-based developer SL Green, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, and concert giant Live Nation. If approved, the project would see an existing building repurposed into a casino and entertainment venue, with restrictions designed to limit disruption to local commerce.

These restrictions include prohibiting gambling on the ground floor, keeping hotel rooms and on-site restaurants to a minimum, and promoting foot traffic to surrounding businesses. The GDA letter emphasized that such measures would align the project with broader economic development goals for both Times Square and adjacent districts. The Garment District, historically central to New York’s fashion industry, lies directly west of Times Square and has faced challenges in recent years, including declining foot traffic and public safety concerns. The GDA Committee’s letter underscored commitments by Caesars and its partners to invest tens of millions of dollars into sanitation, lighting, and pedestrian safety initiatives throughout the area.

By tying the casino’s approval to direct neighbourhood improvements, the project’s backers aim to counter concerns about congestion and the potential social costs of gaming.

 

We are proud that Caesars Palace Times Square will directly address these needs with millions in investments for the neighbourhood that will help improve and enhance the area.

 

Wider Context

The Caesars proposal comes amid heightened competition for one of three downstate casino licences expected to be awarded by the New York State Gaming Commission before the end of 2025. Developers have pitched venues in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, sparking intense lobbying by both supporters and critics.

For Times Square, where tourism has rebounded but office occupancy lags, the casino proposal is framed by its sponsors as a catalyst for sustained economic activity. For the Garment District, it represents the prospect of long-awaited investment in public space and safety infrastructure. The final hearing on September 11 will determine whether those promises are enough to secure approval for one of the city’s most high-profile and contested redevelopment projects in years.