Times Square Casino Proposal Backed by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Rejected

New York City officials have rejected a proposal to develop a casino and resort in Times Square, a $5.4 billion project that counted Jay-Z’s Roc Nation among its backers.

Roc Nation had partnered with the gambling giant Caesars Entertainment and the major New York City developer SL Green to propose the Caesars Palace Times Square casino. But as The New York Times reports, the project faced stiff resistance from local residents, as well as Broadway groups and theaters. 

The proposal was voted down four-to-two on Wednesday, Sept. 17, by a six-person Community Advisory Committee charged with approving casinos in New York. The Committee comprises members appointed by elected officials, and makes its decision based on local support for the proposals. The only two committee members to vote in favor of the Caesars Palace Times Square casino were appointed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. 

In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez said, “Thank you to Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams for standing up for NYC. Unfortunately, not every politician has the courage and foresight to do what’s right for their constituents.”

In a video shared online, SL Green’s chief executive, Marc Holliday, was seen after the vote telling Committee members, “What you did here today was despicable.” He added, “The benefits you denied this community and this city and state, you have to live with that history forever.” 

But opponents of the casino applauded the decision, with Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, saying, “This was a vote to protect the magic of Broadway for the 100,000 New Yorkers who depend on it for their livelihoods, and for the tens of millions who come from around the world to experience it.” 

Along with the Caesars Palace Times Square, the same Community Advisory Committee shot down a proposal for another casino, the Avenir, which would’ve gone up on the far west side of Manhattan. There are six more casino proposals in front of the advisory committee, with only one left in Manhattan.