Summary:
- On Wednesday, Broadway leaders and residents came together to push back against a casino plan for Times Square.
- Concerned that the casino would hurt the theater scene and make the neighborhood busier and more dangerous.
- Casino supporters are planning their own rally on Thursday.
On Wednesday, a crowd of dozens of people gathered outside the proposed site of an upcoming casino in Times Square, worried the project could hurt the theater district and bring more traffic and crime to the neighborhood.
That was the message from a crowd that included Broadway performers, neighborhood advocates, and longtime residents.
They’re worried the casino would shake up the area in ways that could hurt Broadway and the people who depend on it.
The developer is expected to file the official bid on Friday, but critics are making a last push to be heard before that happens.
Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League said,
The last thing Times Square needs is a casino. We never needed a casino to bring Broadway back. I think it could be an existential crisis for Broadway. I think it could put our theaters at risk, our communities at risk, the neighborhood at risk.
Pro-Casino Rally to Follow
Supporters say the casino could really help the local economy, bringing in billions in tax revenue and creating thousands of jobs.
They also mention that Times Square is already a major tourist spot, so adding a casino would just make things busier and could even improve security in the area.
To sweeten the deal, developers want to make sure the project fits the neighborhood’s vibe. That includes building a special Broadway theater right inside the casino for “The Lion King,” giving the show a permanent home there.
A pro-casino rally is planned for Thursday as the debate intensifies.
The Project, Regarded as “An Immense Disaster”
However, many residents and advocates remain unconvinced. Mark Jennings, executive director of Project Find, an organization that supports older adults in Midtown, says the seniors in his building are overwhelmingly opposed.
We polled the older adults in our building, and they despise it for the congestion that it was going to bring, for the potential of additional crime. They believe this is going to be an immense disaster.
The Broadway community is especially vocal in its opposition. Laks argued the casino plan would capitalize on the culture and success of Broadway without truly supporting it.
These people want to take what we have spent years cultivating and profit off us
Performer and Tony Award-winner LaChanze echoed that sentiment:
To bring a casino to this area, at this time, would just wreak havoc and break up all the work that we’ve done on Broadway to bring Broadway back.
Meanwhile, a pro-casino rally is planned for Thursday as the debate intensifies.
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