Freedom Plaza: Casino Project Meets Local Resistance in NYC

Few projects in New York’s development pipeline embody both the ambition and controversy of Freedom Plaza. The $11 billion casino and entertainment complex proposed by Soloviev Group and Mohegan Gaming promises to transform a vacant stretch of Midtown East into a mix of luxury, housing, and public space. Yet despite its sweeping vision—one tied to themes of democracy, diplomacy, and economic revitalization—local residents remain skeptical, with many urging decision-makers to deny the project a coveted New York casino license.

 

A Monumental Proposal

Freedom Plaza is one of eight competing downstate casino bids vying for just three licenses, a contest that will shape New York’s gaming and tourism industry for decades. Located steps from the United Nations, the 6.7-acre project aims to be more than a casino. Plans include:

• Two hotel towers
• Two residential towers with more than 1,000 units (half of them affordable)
• Nearly five acres of new parkland
• A “Museum of Democracy”
• A gaming floor operated by Mohegan, the tribal-owned casino group behind Mohegan Sun

If approved, the development would be Manhattan’s largest privately funded project of its kind, pledging 17,000 jobs and billions in investment. “This is probably the largest piece of undeveloped property in Manhattan,” said Soloviev CEO Michael Hershman at a recent public hearing. Backers stress the project’s community benefits: housing in a city grappling with affordability, much-needed green space in park-starved Community District 6, and a public equity program offering New Yorkers a financial stake in the venture. Union leaders and construction workers see jobs and economic opportunity.

To Mohegan Gaming, the project also represents a strategic reset. The company has struggled abroad and in Las Vegas, making New York a critical chance to expand in one of the world’s most lucrative gaming markets. Yet even among supporters, a central question lingers: why must all these amenities be tethered to a casino? At a five-hour public hearing, residents voiced unease about introducing a casino into a neighborhood better known for diplomats and families. Some warned of crime, traffic, or the optics of building a gambling hub beside the UN. “We don’t want it,” said one local, “it is next to a terrorism target.”

Others criticized what they see as a mismatch between civic-minded branding—like a Museum of Democracy—and the exclusionary nature of the casino model. “Behind their fancy spin is a truth that we all know,” said Kyle Athayde, former chair of Manhattan Community Board 6, which formally opposed the plan. “This project is wrong for our neighborhood.”

The skepticism reflects a pattern. Casino hearings across New York have revealed a consistent theme: residents welcome new housing, jobs, and public amenities, but recoil at the casino itself.

 

Freedom Plaza promises unprecedented investment, housing, and green space for Midtown East, but local opposition centers on one issue—the casino itself.

 

Broader Stakes

The debate around Freedom Plaza highlights the tension in New York’s casino race. The state aims to capture new tax revenue and global tourism, but each bid faces the same dilemma: how to sell a casino to communities that don’t want one.

Proponents argue that Freedom Plaza’s proximity to the UN and Midtown’s hotels make it uniquely suited to serve international visitors, even world leaders. Detractors see a misplaced gamble that could reshape a neighborhood in ways residents never asked for. As the project heads toward a September 30 decision deadline, the outcome will serve as a litmus test not only for the future of Midtown’s East Side but also for how New York balances grand economic visions with the voices of its communities.