Manhattan shut out of New York casino race as Freedom Plaza is voted down
Summary
Freedom Plaza — a proposed $11 billion development by Soloviev Group and Mohegan Gaming on 1st Avenue near the UN — was rejected by its Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in a 2-4 vote, falling short of the two-thirds majority required to advance. The decision took under 10 minutes and makes Freedom Plaza the third Manhattan bid eliminated this week, meaning all Manhattan proposals have now been knocked out of the race for three downstate casino licences.
The bid had included a casino, twin hotel and residential towers and a so-called Museum of Democracy. In late-stage amendments the bidders offered a major concession: increasing units to 1,080 and committing them all as affordable housing, but that and other amendments were not enough to win approval. With Freedom Plaza removed, five downstate proposals remain; the next CAC votes on MGM Empire City (Yonkers) and Resorts World (Queens) are scheduled for Thursday.
Key Points
- Freedom Plaza was rejected 2-4 by its CAC, two votes shy of the two-thirds needed to pass.
- The project was the largest of the eight downstate proposals, valued at about $11 billion and sited near the United Nations on 1st Avenue.
- Bidders submitted late amendments — including a pledge for 1,080 units all deemed affordable — but no CAC has approved amendments so far.
- All three Manhattan bids were rejected this week by identical 2-4 votes; none secured endorsement from CAC chairs.
- Only five downstate proposals now remain under consideration for the three licences; MGM and Resorts World face imminent CAC votes.
- Freedom Plaza materials will be removed from the state Gaming Facility Location Board website following the rejection.
Why should I read this?
Short version: Manhattan just went 0-for-3 and that reshapes where the big New York casino licences might land. If you care about development winners and losers, lobbying dynamics or where hundreds of millions in investment could flow next, this is the immediate plot twist — and we skimmed the meeting so you don’t have to.
Source
Source: https://igamingbusiness.com/casino/freedom-plaza-rejected-community-advisory-committee-vote/