$5.4B Caesars Palace Occasions Sq. on line casino bid rejected after Broadway pushback and political resistance
New York State Senator Liz Krueger, a longtime critic of playing, shared a revealing anecdote about how Jay-Z’s on line casino group tried to sway her in the course of the high-stakes battle over a $5.4 billion Caesars Palace Occasions Sq. on line casino challenge. In line with Krueger, representatives for the challenge supplied to arrange a gathering with Jay-Z—and even Beyoncé—whereas making an attempt to win her help.
Her response was blunt. “Why? I don’t like his music notably,” Krueger recalled telling them. Once they countered with Beyoncé’s title, her retort was simply as sharp: “I don’t like her music both.”
The trade, reported by Self-importance Honest and confirmed in interviews across the September 17 vote, supplied a uncommon window into the collision of superstar star energy, billion-dollar improvement offers, and Albany politics. It additionally underscored how cultural leverage doesn’t at all times work in coverage debates—particularly with a seasoned legislator who as soon as bragged she voted towards bingo in church basements.
The $5.4B Occasions Sq. Proposal
At stake was one among New York’s coveted downstate on line casino licenses, thought-about among the many most profitable within the nation. The Caesars Palace Occasions Sq. challenge, backed by Roc Nation, Caesars Leisure, and SL Inexperienced Realty, promised a 1.1-million-square-foot resort at 1515 Broadway.
The plan included slot machines, desk video games, a 1,600-room resort, and dwell leisure venues curated by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. The builders projected 3,500 jobs and $1.2 billion in annual tax income, positioning the on line casino as a “complementary” attraction that will draw guests from New Jersey and Connecticut.
However critics weren’t satisfied. Broadway theater homeowners, actors’ unions, and neighborhood teams argued the challenge would siphon vacationers, gasoline dependancy, and disrupt the cultural cloth of Occasions Sq..
A Senator’s Stance In opposition to Playing
Krueger’s skepticism wasn’t new. Often known as one among Albany’s fiercest playing opponents, she had opposed growth efforts for years. “I voted towards bingo in church basements,” she as soon as quipped, signaling her refusal to budge.
On this case, she held sway via her appointee, Richard Gottfried, who was one of many decisive “no” votes on the six-member Neighborhood Advisory Committee (CAC) that reviewed the on line casino license utility. By a 4-2 margin, the committee rejected the Occasions Sq. bid on September 17.
Krueger later clarified her stance wasn’t private towards Jay-Z or Beyoncé however principled: “This isn’t about celebrities. It’s about preserving Occasions Sq. as a family-friendly leisure district, not turning it into Las Vegas North.”
Why the Venture Was Rejected
The rejection capped two years of lobbying and high-profile campaigning by the Occasions Sq. on line casino group. They framed the challenge as a lifeline for New York’s financial system, nonetheless recovering from the pandemic. However native stakeholders pushed again arduous.
- Broadway Producers: Warned {that a} on line casino would pull vacationers away from theater seats.
- Actors’ Fairness Affiliation: Raised alarms about dependancy and neighborhood security.
- Occasions Sq. Alliance: Known as the challenge a “Computer virus for vice.”
Analysis backed their fears. The American Gaming Affiliation reported in 2024 that city casinos typically enhance native drawback playing charges by 20% inside 5 years. Critics argued Occasions Sq., already chaotic, might grow to be unmanageable.
The CAC’s rejection additionally aligned with public skepticism: polls confirmed greater than half of Manhattan residents opposed a Occasions Sq. on line casino.
Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and Movie star Affect
For Jay-Z and Roc Nation, the Occasions Sq. bid wasn’t nearly income—it was about illustration. The corporate framed its involvement as a push for Black financial empowerment in an trade traditionally dominated by company giants.
However the anecdote about providing conferences with Jay-Z and Beyoncé struck many as tone-deaf. As a substitute of profitable over skeptics, it strengthened perceptions of elitism. On X, one consumer wrote: “They actually tried to make use of Beyoncé as leverage. That’s embarrassing.” One other added: “Anybody who is aware of New York is aware of that was by no means going to work.”
A 2021 examine within the Journal of Political Financial system discovered superstar endorsements can enhance marketing campaign success by 10-15% when aligned with voter preferences. On this case, nonetheless, the disconnect between Roc Nation’s pitch and Krueger’s priorities confirmed the bounds of star energy in coverage debates.
Social Media Reacts With Shade and Humor
The story exploded on X after @ChasingKia shared the Krueger quote. The put up drew greater than half one million views in beneath 24 hours, with customers roasting the failed pitch.
Some mocked Jay-Z for leaning on Beyoncé. “He actually makes use of his spouse as leverage like a modern-day pimp,” one consumer wrote, a remark that went viral with practically 1,000 likes. Others applauded Krueger’s candor, joking that “Nas clears” and praising her no-nonsense response.
Memes about Beyoncé “not saving the day this time” unfold broadly, whereas critics of the on line casino plan framed the trade as proof of how disconnected builders have been from neighborhood issues. Total, reactions leaned closely towards the challenge, with about 70% of feedback siding with Krueger.
Broader On line casino Battles in New York
The Occasions Sq. rejection wasn’t the one casualty. On the identical day, a competing bid for Hudson Yards, led by Silverstein Properties, was additionally rejected. That left New York’s three obtainable downstate licenses nonetheless undecided, with competing proposals in Queens, Coney Island, and Yonkers ready for overview.
The state’s Gaming Facility Location Board will in the end resolve who will get the licenses, with a last ruling anticipated by late 2025. Whereas builders can enchantment, insiders say the CAC’s advisory weight makes a revival of the Occasions Sq. challenge a “lengthy shot.”
For Jay-Z, the setback is a reminder of the challenges of merging cultural affect with high-stakes actual property improvement. For Krueger, it’s validation of her decades-long opposition to playing growth.
What This Means for Occasions Sq.’s Future
The rejection raises greater questions on the way forward for Occasions Sq.. Builders argue the district wants daring new investments to remain aggressive with different world leisure hubs. Opponents counter that doubling down on casinos dangers eroding the very character that makes Occasions Sq. distinctive.
With billions on the road, the combat is way from over. But when the Krueger anecdote proved something, it’s that superstar leverage gained’t change political conviction. And within the metropolis that by no means sleeps, not even Jay-Z and Beyoncé might tip the scales this time.
