NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — Music mogul and former New Yorker Jay-Z and Roc Nation published an open letter urging the State of New York to grant Caesars Palace a license to operate a casino in Times Square.
“A gaming license is going to be awarded to New York City,” the letter stated. “A bill was passed in the state legislature confirming it. The question is: which applicant will get the license? Some conflicted parties have attempted to spread misinformation, so we wanted to speak to you, New York City, directly.”
The letter went on to detail the company’s business plan and qualifications, noting that the coalition of Roc Nation and Caesars palace has a history of “campaigning for fair hiring, representation, and reform.”
“Roc Nation and our partners are here to ensure that Times Square remains connected to all facets of culture. There’s no better location for a Caesars Palace entertainment destination than the Crossroads of the World,” the letter continued.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, first joined SL Green and Caesars Entertainment to bid on the casino in December 2022.
According to TMZ, the proposed casino would occupy the top eight floors of a building that currently houses the Minskoff and Palladium theaters as well as Disney’s The Lion King.
Other casino operators seeking to develop a property in New York include Mets owner Steve Cohen and Wynn Resorts, who are all eyeing different areas of the city.
Caesars’ potential Times Square neighbors are less than thrilled about the prospect of a casino in the high traffic tourist area. The Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, issued a detailed statement in opposition to the plan.
“The proposed plan to bring a casino to Times Square would introduce widespread economic and operational disruption, unprecedented congestion, and decreased safety and security,” the League noted, adding, “Times Square is not Atlantic City or Las Vegas, which exist primarily to promote gambling and are designed accordingly. Instead, what casino operators have proposed for Times Square is an unprecedented and dangerous experiment.”
