Actors' Equity and Local 802 Back Times Square Casino Bid, Joining Coalition for a Better Times Square

Times Square stakeholders - including theater workers, musicians, small business owners, construction unions, hotel operators, and more - have launched a coalition to revitalize Times Square and support a license for a new, world-class gaming and entertainment facility. The proposed facility would attract over seven million new visitors to Times Square - generating 636,000 new overnight hotel visits to hotels outside of the project and $166 million in local retail spending once again outside of the project - and include a congestion mitigation and security improvement plan for the Times Square area.

Both Actors' Equity and Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians have joined the Coalition for a Better Times Square, going against the opinon of The Broadway League, who has voiced opposition to the development of the casino.

The Broadway League stated, "The addition of a casino will overwhelm the already densely congested area and would jeopardize the entire neighborhood whose existence is dependent on the success of Broadway. Broadway is the key driver of tourism and risking its stability would be detrimental to the city."

"Equity members depend on a strong, thriving theater industry in Manhattan. Bringing almost half a million new theatergoers into our theaters, a commitment to union jobs, and unprecedented investments in safety and traffic flow will be beneficial for Broadway and its workers," said David Levy, Communications Director, Actors' Equity Association.

"Times Square is the Crossroads of the World. Unfortunately, many tourists have yet to return and businesses still haven't fully recovered from the impacts of the pandemic, which means lunchtime business is gone." said Jeff Bank, of Alicart Restaurant Group, which operates Carmines and other Times Square eateries. "We need a new entertainment destination, like the facility proposed by SL Green and Caesars Entertainment, so we can bring our economy back and invest in needed safety, sanitation, and traffic flow."

"New York City already has the best live music in the world, thanks to the professional union musicians who perform at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Broadway, and hundreds of other clubs and venues," said Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi. "More live music for NYC is always a good thing, especially when musicians earn the wages and benefits they deserve. We support this plan for a new casino and hotel complex in Times Square where professional musicians would provide great music while enjoying the protections and high standards of a union contract."

"A new gaming facility in Times Square would provide hundreds of well-paid, union jobs during both construction and operation," said Mike Prohaska, Business Manager of the Mason Tenders' District Council of Greater New York and Construction and General Building Laborers' Local 79. "Caesars and SL Green both have strong pro-labor histories, and they have committed to minority hiring and apprenticeship programs that will open a pathway to the middle class for even more New Yorkers."

"Our members need housing we can afford in New York City, and this is the only plan that puts a casino in a part of the city where it belongs and won't take away land that should go to housing," added Chaz Rynkiewicz, Vice President of Laborers' Local 79.

"Revitalizing Times Square starts with investing in better on-the-ground security. As a long-time resident of New York, I'm concerned about the uptick in visible crime in the Times Square area, particularly around transit stations," said Jimmy Wirt, a Hell's Kitchen resident and coalition member. "That's why I'm supportive of a new gaming and entertainment facility, which would bring millions in much-needed, state-of-the-art security infrastructure."

The state of New York is looking to award three gaming licenses to the New York City area. SL Green Realty Corp, New York's leading commercial real estate owner, Caesars Entertainment, the premier operator in the gaming industry, and Roc Nation, the world's preeminent entertainment company, have partnered to pursue one of these licenses to make sure tourists continue to come to the Bowtie for decades to come. A world-class gaming and entertainment venue with new energizing entertainment in the Bowtie will also invite New Yorkers to return to Times Square.

"We're excited to have the support of representatives of all the segments of the Times Square community," said Caesars Entertainment, SL Green and Roc Nation. "We're proposing a New York project, not a Vegas project, and because of that, it's going to benefit all of Times Square."

SL Green, Caesars and Roc Nation will leverage the Caesars Rewards program through partnerships with local businesses: buying tickets to Broadway shows, buying meals at restaurants, supporting retailers, and ensuring all area businesses benefit from its operations in Times Square. Because of this, a successful bid will generate $967 million in annual area spending, providing a much-needed boost to area theaters, hotels, restaurants, and businesses, and commit to fund a wide range of neighborhood initiatives and improvements to make Times Square the safest, cleanest, and most pedestrian-friendly entertainment district in the world.

"This innovative redevelopment project reinforces Times Square's place as the heart of New York City, on the cutting edge of entertainment and hospitality," said Geoff Ballotti, President & CEO Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "The proposed millions of net new Times Square visitors and hundreds of thousands of overnight stays projected from this gaming and entertainment facility will help fill hotels in Times Square and throughout the City, supporting the economy and creating great jobs across construction and hospitality."

Organizations that are interested in joining the coalition can visit ABetterTimesSquare.com to learn more.

About the Coalition for a Better Times Square

The Coalition for a Better Times Square consists of businesses and community organizations that are working to invest in and improve the iconic Times Square neighborhood in midtown Manhattan. The Coalition for a Better Times Square will advocate for elected officials and community leaders to take clear steps to revitalize the famed tourist destination, including awarding a license for a new, state-of-the-art gaming facility designed to drive benefits for the entire Times Square community and keep Times Square the crossroads of the world for the next century.

A study conducted by leading traffic and engineering consultant AKRF concluded that the proposal would generate:

• 7 million+ net new visits to Times Square annually

• 636,000+ new overnight visits to local hotels

• 7 million+ new meals for local restaurants

• $166 million+ new retail spending

• More than $65 million in new annual Broadway ticket sales, supporting 500 theater district jobs

The proposal will also generate:

• Over 3,000 full-time-equivalent (FTE) construction jobs over a two-year construction period

• Over 4,700 permanent NYC jobs during operations

• Over $60 million in NYC tax revenues during construction, and over $50 million in non-gaming tax revenues annually for NYC during operations.

Working in partnership with former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton and Times Square organizations, SL Green and Caesars Palace have also committed to dedicating part of the gaming revenue to added security, sanitation, and traffic investments that will improve the overall quality of life for those in and around Times Square. These include:

• More than doubling number of current public safety officers to patrol Times Square above and below ground

• 30% increase to the existing sanitation workforce, including expansion of the Waste Containerization Pilot started in Times Square promoting cleanliness and improved quality of the environment

• Liaise with and fund local homeless service organizations resulting in increased neighborhood safety

• Work with area theaters, rideshare operators and yellow cabs to develop a congestion remediation plan - including dedicated pick-up/drop-off zones, and drastically improved wayfinding - that would reduce congestion by up to 50%.