Two state legislators representing Manhattan’s West Side are vehemently opposing Related Companies/Wynn’s plan to erect a glittering casino in Hudson Yards near the High Line. Assemblyman Tony Simone and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick have expressed their disapproval of the project, which seeks to construct an 80-story tower that would house a gaming facility and hotel alongside office buildings, apartment towers, and a spacious park. Both lawmakers emphasize their opposition to the casino on philosophical grounds, noting that the community has been against it as well.
Simone is set to serve on the six-member local panel responsible for voting on whether to recommend the proposed casino to state officials. Meanwhile, Glick chairs the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee and represents the southern portion of the High Line, a beloved park that could be negatively impacted by the casino’s construction.
Related Companies-Wynn Resorts unveiled art renderings for the massive $12 billion complex they hope to build on Hudson Yards in March. The ambitious proposal aims to transform the area, which once served as a graveyard for LIRR trains, into a thriving community with new jobs and significant investments. However, backers of the High Line argue that the casino proposal could obstruct important and iconic views from the elevated park and walkway.
In response to the growing opposition, Related Companies issued a statement urging elected leaders not to rush to judgment on the matter. The company asserts that its proposal for transforming the western yards into a new park, housing, and development would generate tens of thousands of jobs, billions in new taxes, and community investments. Furthermore, it claims to have addressed the concerns of the High Line by meeting with the organization ten times and making amendments to the proposal as necessary.
Manhattan’s Community Board 4 has also raised objections to the Related-Wynn casino plan, noting that the developer has not yet fulfilled its 2009 pledge to build more apartments on the West Side as part of its other Hudson Yards projects. The Related-Wynn casino is just one of several prospective bidders expected to land one of the three coveted downstate casino licenses in the New York City area. State gaming regulators are anticipated to award the licenses by the end of next year, with winning bidders required to pay a minimum $500 million license fee.
Other proposals face their own challenges, such as Mets owner Steve Cohen’s plan with Hard Rock to build an $8 billion casino/entertainment complex next to Citi Field. This proposal requires a state law for the right to do so and has yet to pass the state legislature. Meanwhile, other casino bidders are grappling with land-use issues or community opposition, such as the SL Green/Caesars Entertainment plan for Times Square and the Thor Equities and partners proposal for Coney Island in Brooklyn.
