After a decades-long turnaround that revitalized the neighborhood and turned it into a pre-eminent location for locals, businesses and tourists, Times Square is one of the most vibrant areas in the country. At its heart is the Theater District, home to 41 theaters that bring the magic of Broadway to life and draw millions of people a year to New York City.
Times Square is already the most heavily trafficked crossroads in the Western Hemisphere. A casino would bring thousands of taxi drop-offs, deliveries and load-ins that will further snarl traffic and make Times Square less safe, less livable and less friendly to the pedestrians and families that drive the area’s economy.
Research shows that, Las Vegas aside, casinos don’t meaningfully drive new tourism. Instead, they act as magnets for local gamblers and prey on vulnerable populations. A Times Square casino would bring economic and social disruption, not development, and make our community less welcoming to families from all over the world.
After a long recovery from the pandemic, visitors have rediscovered the allure of the theater and have returned to the restaurants around Times Square. Casinos are built to keep visitors inside their doors as long as possible, patronizing their own restaurants, shops and entertainment venues—at the expense of the 90,000-plus jobs nearby businesses support.
The economic benefits of casinos dwindle over time with fewer customers and falling tax revenue, especially in dense cities. By contrast, the Broadway theaters and restaurants that a Times Square casino would disrupt have proven to grow the city’s jobs and economy decade after decade.
