There will be no casino in Manhattan after all proposals are rejected by locals
September 22, 2025
Plans to build the Big Apple’s first full-service casino in the heart of the city have run out of luck. A local panel on Monday rejected the last of three Manhattan proposals vying for one of up to three new state licenses to operate a casino in the lucrative New York City market. The proposal was for a six-acre project near the United Nations headquarters dubbed “Freedom Plaza.” A Jay-Z-backed plan to build a Caesars Palace in Times Square and another proposal for a resort on Manhattan’s West Side were both voted down by two other local boards last week. Five proposals still remain in the race for up to three gaming licenses.