New York developers consider opening casinos in Times Square and Hudson Yards

Developers and gaming operators in New York City intend to win the right to build a casino in New York City, including in Times Square and Hudson Yards.

According to the New York Post, a group of developers and gaming operators are banding together to bid for a license to operate in the city.

The state’s gaming commission has the authority to award up to three licenses downstate, and Mayor Eric Adams has stated his desire for at least two of them to be in the city.

Willets Point, near the Mets’ Citi Field ballpark in Queens, and Brooklyn’s Coney Island are among the other sites being considered.

Related Companies is looking for a venue near its Hudson Yards megadevelopment on Manhattan’s Far West Side. Company representatives have already met with City Hall officials to discuss a proposal for the area.

Vornado and SL Green are also interested in Times Square in Manhattan. All three developers want to work with casino companies such as Hard Rock, Sands, and MGM.

Hudson Yards has enough space to accommodate a casino, as well as the necessary transportation infrastructure to transport people to and from a gaming facility. Subway station No. 7 and Penn Station are both nearby. It’s also close to the Javits Convention Center.

However, in addition to real estate firms and developers, the plans have naturally piqued the interest of US gaming titans. Hard Rock has contributed more than $6 million to the governor’s election campaign, according to fund-raising records, and its lobbyists have met with City Hall Chief of Staff Frank Carone, according to lobbying records obtained by The Post.

According to the Post, the situation gives community activists and local elected officials a lot of sway in the selection process. It also claims that state Sen. Brad Hoylman, who represents the Hudson Yards and Times Square neighborhoods, “strongly” opposes the concept of a Manhattan casino, claiming that insiders who live there do not want a gaming venue.