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Freedom Plaza, an $11 billion casino and entertainment project proposed along Manhattan’s East Side, was voted down Monday morning by its community advisory committee (CAC), ending the last remaining bid for a casino in Manhattan.

The six-member panel voted 4-2 against the proposal, falling short of the required two-thirds majority needed to advance the bid for state-level consideration. The rejection makes Freedom Plaza the third Manhattan-based casino project to be turned down within a week, officially eliminating the borough from contention for one of the three downstate casino licenses expected to be awarded later this year.

The Freedom Plaza project, led by Soloviev Group in partnership with Mohegan Gaming, would have transformed over six acres of land near the United Nations headquarters between East 38th and 41st Streets.The proposed development included a casino, two hotel towers, residential buildings, retail space, restaurants, public parkland, a community center, a daycare facility, and a Museum of Democracy.

Voting against the proposal were CAC chair Sandra McKee, along with Reshma Patel, Celeste Royo, and Jasmine Narula. Voting in favor were Nichols Silbersack and Jennifer Sta. Ines.

McKee offered a brief statement following the vote: “I’d like to thank everybody who participated in the process. It’s been a very robust review of all the work that’s been done by the community and the applicants. I vote nay.”

Despite submitting several last-minute revisions just days before the vote, including a commitment to making all 1,080 proposed residential units permanently affordable, the amendments did not sway the majority of the committee. The affordable housing pledge was described by some as the most significant concession yet among all casino applicants in the race.

Freedom Plaza now joins Caesars Palace Times Square and Avenir Hudson Yards, both of which…

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Local Advisory Committee Rejects Manhattan Casino Proposal

Manhattan’s hopes of hosting its first casino have been dashed after a key community group voted against the latest casino proposal for the borough. This decision effectively ends years of discussions about introducing a Las Vegas-style resort to one of New York City’s busiest business and tourist hubs.

Community Advisory Committee Blocks $11 Billion Casino Project Near United Nations

On September 22, the Community Advisory Committee turned down the “Freedom Plaza” project with a vote of 4-2. This ambitious $11 billion plan aimed to develop six acres just south of the United Nations headquarters. The bid was presented by the Soloviev Group alongside Connecticut-based gaming company Mohegan. Despite last-minute commitments to build more than 1,000 affordable housing units and promise community reinvestment, the proposal failed to win the committee’s approval.

This rejection came shortly after two other major Manhattan casino proposals were also dismissed. These included a Times Square casino backed by Caesars Entertainment and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, and a Hudson Yards project from Related Companies and Wynn Resorts. With all three plans denied, Manhattan has been eliminated from the race for up to three downstate casino licenses.

Local officials and residents voiced strong opposition, citing concerns over increased traffic congestion, public safety, and potential declines in neighborhood quality of life. Many expressed that locating a casino so close to the UN complex would overwhelm infrastructure, particularly during large-scale events like the General Assembly.

Manhattan Falls Out of Casino License Competition, Focus Shifts to Other Boroughs

Michael Hershman, leader of the Soloviev Group, argued that Manhattan needed a casino resort of this scale to stimulate tourism and job growth while addressing community needs. Similarly, Ray Pineault from Mohegan expressed disappointment, feeling the evaluation overlooked the social and economic benefits their project could provide.

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