Jay‑Z is pushing for Caesars Palace to open a flagship casino in New York’s Times Square, as he called for a prime downtown location to be built by the famous chain.
On Wednesday, July 23rd, the Grammy‑winning mogul hosted a committee hearing with representatives from Roc Nation, SL Green, and Caesars Entertainment in pursuit of one of three coveted downstate casino licenses. Around forty‑four minutes into the hearing, Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez introduced him, and Jay described their cross‑borough business strategy as what “New York really looks like.”
Jay explained that he “came up through sports and entertainment” and said Times Square is the “perfect place” for a new Caesars Palace, even though the original resort sits in Paradise, Nevada. He added, “I’m trying to reserve myself — it’s a very good idea,” calling the plan a “very good alignment for us to fulfill the promise of Times Square.”
The plan presented with SL Green and Caesars Entertainment includes projections of over $7 billion in taxes, $26.7 billion to local businesses, more than 3,000 construction jobs, and more than 3,800 permanent positions. The proposed development would transform 1515 Broadway, an existing office building, into a 992‑room five‑star hotel with global‑inspired restaurants, a wellness retreat, gaming, and top‑tier nightlife venues. If approved, it is slated to open in four years.
However, opponents rallied on Friday, July 25th, in Father Duffy Square, chanting “Broadway is not backing down.” The No Times Square Casino coalition argued, “This casino’s developers don’t care about improving this neighborhood,” pointing out that corporations such as SL Green and Caesars “can continue to promise millions of dollars to buy a veneer of support.”
Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League, said Broadway’s cultural vitality makes it fundamentally different from a casino. He added: “The over 14 million attendees we had on Broadway prove that we don’t need a casino to bring this neighborhood back.”
In response, Caesars stated that “Caesars Palace Times Square will deliver more than $250 million in community benefits … as well as 9,000 new good‑paying union jobs for New Yorkers.” They also pledged monthly job fairs exclusively for members of Actors’ Equity Association and Musicians Local 802.
