The New York Casino Weekly Roundup

Sometimes, there’s just too much going on. Such is the case with the New York downstate casino licensing process as eight applicants vie for three $500 million licenses. This space will go beyond the pitches and public meetings for other points of interest among the applicants as they vie to claim the day’s news cycle.

City Council unlikely to override Adams’ veto for Bally’s

New York City Mayor Eric Adams can claim a small victory as The New York Post reported Tuesday it appears the City Council will not seek to override his July 30 veto of the body’s vote last month to disapprove rezoning related to Bally’s proposal for a casino in the Bronx.

There was no guarantee the 34 votes — a two-thirds majority — were there for an override, but it would have been a sweat given the vote of disapproval was 29-9 with four abstentions. The veto was the second lifeline Adams has thrown the $4 billion Bally proposal. His declared public support for the project in June lowered the threshold for passage in the City Council from two-thirds to a simple majority for rezoning the land at Ferry Point marked for the casino to become parkland.

“A casino in New York City would bring good-paying union jobs and an economic boost to the surrounding community, which is why I have long advocated for a fair process with as many competitive bids as possible,” Adams said in a statement explaining his veto.

“In stark contrast, the City Council’s disapproval of the Bally’s Bronx bid deprives the Bronx of the ability to even compete for a $4 billion private investment that would deliver 15,000 union construction jobs, 4,000 permanent union jobs, and more than $625 million in community benefits — including millions in funding for schools, parks, youth programs, nonprofits, and public safety — if selected by the state.”

National Urban League backs Freedom Plaza proposal

National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial has thrown his support behind the $11.1 billion Freedom Plaza proposal for a casino on the East Side of New York, calling it “a visionary proposal … that promises to address New York City’s most pressing challenges by thoughtfully integrating housing, jobs, culture, and open space in East Midtown.”

Morial made his comments in an op-ed that ran in Saturday’s New York Daily News. The mayor of New Orleans from 1994-2002, Morial has first-hand experience in how a casino can help transform a city as Harrah’s opened in the Crescent City in 1999. He said the casino was part of “thoughtful civic investment … [it] can spark economic revival, curb violent crime, and elevate quality of life.”

Hard Rock fires Senior VP Pariente

Hard Rock International, which is fronting an $8 billion proposal for a casino in Queens adjacent to Citi Field with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, performed some damage control Tuesday with its firing of Alex Pariente, senior vice president of hotel and casino operations.

Hard Rock had suspended Pariente last month without pay after a whistleblower claimed he allowed credit markers to go unpaid at its casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The gaming company completed an internal investigation, leading to Pariente’s firing.

“Hard Rock International has completed its initial investigation in connection with recent public allegations regarding executives at Hard Rock Punta Cana Casino and can confirm it has separated with the executive in question,” the company told The New York Post.

Most of the Metropolitan Park pitch centered around revitalizing the area around Citi Field, with Hard Rock’s casino presence not made until roughly 30 minutes into the presentation.

Caesars teams with Pierce to support Theatres of Color

Caesars Palace Times Square announced it will partner with award-winning actor and producer Wendell Pierce and invest $10 million to launch and sustain the New York Coalition of Legacy Theatres of Color Fund.

The investment, contingent on the Caesars Palace and Roc Nation-fronted proposal being awarded a license, will focus on supporting theaters “telling the stories of New York’s communities of color.” Pierce, who won a Tony Award as a producer of Clybourne Park, earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Performance in a Play in 2022, playing Willy Loman in the Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman.

“As an artist and advocate, I believe that the social justice movement of the 21st Century is economic development and creating opportunities that sustain and uplift our communities — both on stage and beyond,” said Pierce, also known as Det. Bunk Moreland on the HBO hit The Wire.

“Caesars Palace Times Square is a formidable investment, creating access and opportunity, with a profound creation of jobs in the greatest cultural economy of the world. This project will not only be transformative for our creative Broadway community but for the broader labor force as well. I fully endorse this project and recognize this is a powerful step toward ensuring that cultural groups of color are not just included but are leaders in shaping the future of Times Square — with a commitment to workforce inclusion, community partnership, and artistic vibrancy for all.”

Caesars and Roc Nation made their pitch for a casino in Times Square on July 24 and will hold their first public hearing Wednesday at the Victor Borge Hall in the Lower Level of Scandinavia House.