Community Advisory Committee Rejects Final Manhattan Casino Plan, Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun Take a Hit
Freedom Plaza, the last remaining casino proposal for Manhattan, was voted down by the Community Advisory Committee, causing a major setback for developers Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun.
The controversial proposal for the Freedom Plaza casino, spearheaded by the Soloviev Group and managed by Mohegan Sun, was met with a resounding rejection by the Community Advisory Committee yesterday. The proposed development, which would have been located in Murray Hill on First Avenue between 38th and 41st Streets, included a 300,000-square-foot underground casino, two hotel towers, 1,325 residential units (with a recent addition of 1,080 permanently affordable units), a museum, public park space, retail, daycare, and other amenities.
The rejection of the project comes as a surprise to many, as it seemed to have strong support from local elected officials and community leaders. However, it appears that the concerns raised by the community about the potential negative impacts of a casino in the neighborhood were not taken lightly by the Community Advisory Committee.
"We listened to the community and carefully considered all the factors before making our decision," said Committee Chairperson Mary Thompson. "Ultimately, we believe that the negative impacts on the neighborhood, including increased traffic and potential for problem gambling, outweighed any potential benefits the casino might have brought."
The news of the rejection has dealt a major blow to the Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun, who have invested significant time and resources into the project. It remains to be seen if they will pursue other options for the site or if the project will be completely abandoned.
Originally reported by