What People Are Saying

A Tulchin Research poll of registered voters in neighborhoods surrounding Times Square revealed significant opposition to a proposal to construct a new casino in the neighborhood. Voters expressed serious concerns about the potential negative impacts of this proposal on the community, highlighting issues such as increased congestion, crime, and undermining the cultural and economic progress achieved in the area over recent decades. The following memo provides details from the poll.

A casino in what has been described as the most heavily trafficked place in the Western Hemisphere would be a reckless experiment and a losing bet in the long term, bringing economic and social disruption, not development.”

Broadway League

Broadway and the Theater District are bustling, already filled with tourists and locals alike. It’s hard to imagine how the addition of a casino could enhance or improve Times Square and the surrounding neighborhood. The congestion that this would bring is not the ‘dancing feet’ so fondly sung about in the classic musical 42nd Street.”

Danny Whitman, Executive Director, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

We are troubled by a proposal to put a casino in the heart of an area that, historically, has been difficult to access and presents profound challenges for our members. While we can support the creation of a casino in a less congested area of downstate New York, the density and existing traffic problems of Times Square make it a poor choice.”

Peter Pantuso, President & CEO, American Bus Association

A casino might make sense for an underdeveloped area in need of an economic boost, but certainly not in one of the most active parts of the city. As a business operator and resident of this community, I have serious concerns about the long-term, negative impact of a casino in Times Square.”

Tom Viertel, Chairman of the Board, 54 Below

casino in Times Square would have serious and harmful consequences to youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability in NYC. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented in those seeking housing and drop-in services in the area; and are at much higher risks of abuse, substance misuse, engaging in the sex trade for survival, and poor health outcomes. These factors already make the youth we serve the most vulnerable to trafficking, the addition of a nearby casino will increase that risk exponentially.”

Nadia Swanson, Director of Technical Assistance and Advocacy, The Ali Forney Center

The very last thing Times Square needs is a casino.”

Kathleen Treat, President, Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association

The theater district is a treasured destination for students and young people seeking culturally enriching experiences in New York City. Adding the volatility of a casino to one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the country is certainly not in the best interest of the young people we serve.”

Carylann Assante, CEO, Student & Youth Travel Association

The Hell’s Kitchen Block Association is categorically opposed to a casino in Times Square, or anywhere in Manhattan. We demand our elected officials in Albany stop selling our city to the highest commercial development builders and instead create desperately needed affordable housing for residents.”

Julia Campanelli, President, Hell’s Kitchen Block Association

Urban casinos are a great way to wreck a local economy. Any money that comes to a casino, stays in the casino. It does not trickle out to local businesses. Any revenue coming to the state will be more than offset by increases in crime, problem gambling and the drain on infrastructure and social services that the residents of New York City generally, and Hell’s Kitchen in particular, will have to pay for. Building a new casino is a sucker’s bet. Don’t fall for it.”

Christine Gorman, President, West 55th Street Block Association

No matter how much emphasis promoters try to place on glitz and glamour, a casino in Times Square has the potential to unravel the fabric of the theater district and jeopardize the fate of its restaurants.”

Max Klimavicius, Owner, Sardi’s

The members of the HK49-54 Block Alliance are strongly opposed to any casino located in midtown Manhattan. Our community is still picking up the pieces of the temporary hotel shelters from the early days of the pandemic that have caused a large resurgence in narcotic activity along the 8th Avenue corridor. Casinos attract drug dealers and human trafficking, not to mention the harmful effects of gambling addiction, which will further exacerbate the negative impacts on our community.”

Catie Savage, Co-chair, HK49-54 Block Alliance

The streets bringing vehicular traffic to Times Square from the West Side are excessively congested. With its limos and buses, a casino would make it much more unsafe for residents, tourists and commuters who walk.”

Christine Berthet, Co-founder, CHEKPEDS

The New Yorkers who live in Times Square and its neighboring communities deserve from city planners and developers a certain respect for and acknowledgment of our quality of life. A casino in Times Square would dilute the beauty of the theater district and overwhelm the area with incompatible businesses that could have a negative effect in the long term.”

Natalie Frazier, President, West 43rd Street Block Association

Small businesses in our community have had to overcome profound challenges since the pandemic – a plan for a casino in Times Square creates unnecessary hazards that we should not have to confront.”

Mary Hattman, General Manager, Joe Allen and Orso

Times Square is the last place that should house a casino. The district’s transformation will be jeopardized by the addition of a casino, which will bring increased prostitution, sex buyers, trafficking and drugs to New York City’s most famous and important tourist destination.”

Sonia Ossorio, Executive Director, National Organization for Women of New York City

Times Square is far more than just a shopping district or tourist destination; it serves as a sanctuary for some of the most vulnerable individuals in New York, including older adults who have bravely escaped homelessness. According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), around 34% of casino visitors in 2018 were aged 50 or above. Introducing a casino at their doorstep exposes them to the risk of reverting to a life of hardship they have fought hard to leave behind.”

Mark Jennings, Executive Director, Project FIND