JAY-Z noticed his Times Square on line casino dream derailed after a neighborhood advisory board voted down the proposal, halting a high-stakes bid that had the backing of Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation.

The Community Advisory Committee voted 4-2 in opposition to the plan, which was submitted by SL Green Realty, Caesars, Roc Nation, and Live Nation, in line with Deadline.

The resolution successfully blocks the mission from advancing to the following stage of New York’s aggressive on line casino licensing course of.

The proposed on line casino would have been situated at 1515 Broadway, sharing actual property with the Minskoff Theatre, dwelling to Broadway’s long-running hit The Lion King, and workplaces for Viacom.

Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez had spent 5 years pushing the plan, which she stated would open the door for on a regular basis New Yorkers to put money into the mission with as little as $500 by way of a partnership with actual property platform Cadre.

JAY-Z Argues Times Square Casino “Makes Perfect Sense”

JAY-Z, born and raised in Brooklyn, defended the idea in an interview with City & State New York, saying, “New York City is the entertainment capital of the world, so the idea of a world class casino here makes perfect sense.”

But the proposal break up the Broadway neighborhood. Opponents—together with The Broadway League, the Shubert Organization and IATSE—argued the on line casino would disrupt the theater district and harm the native financial system tied to reside efficiency.

“This was a vote to protect the magic of Broadway for the one hundred thousand New Yorkers who depend on it for their livelihoods, and for the tens of millions who come from around the world to experience it,” stated Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League and a member of the No Times Square Casino Coalition. “A casino can go anywhere, but Broadway only lives here.”

The coalition opposing the mission included over 35 organizations representing 168,000 staff throughout North America, together with IATSE locals, the United Federation of Teachers and nonprofits just like the Ali Forney Center and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Still, the plan had its backers. Actors’ Equity and musicians’ union Local 802 supported the on line casino, citing job creation and elevated security within the space.

Had the committee accepted the proposal, it will have moved on to the state’s Gaming Facilities Location Board. New York is anticipated to problem three on line casino licenses this 12 months.

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