A six-member Community Advisory Committee rejected the Caesars Palace Times Square proposal in New York on 17 September, voting 4–2 against it. SL Green Realty, Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation backed the $5.4 billion project; three downstate casino licences are expected to be awarded by the end of the year.
The rejection removes one Manhattan proposal from consideration for a downstate casino licence.
Quarter ended 30 September 2026
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SL Green CEO Marc Holliday said the company remains open to reviving its proposed Times Square casino with Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation after a Manhattan community advisory committee rejected the bid. Holliday said the wider licensing process and outcome remain unresolved, with state gaming board decisions on up to three licences expected by year-end. SL Green estimated that the rejection cost it $13.1 million in related expenses.
A community advisory committee endorsed the Metropolitan Park casino proposal in Queens on 30 September, advancing it to the state evaluation stage. The project is one of four contenders for three downstate New York casino licences, which the state aims to award by 31 December; the Gaming Facility Location Board is due to send recommendations by 1 December.
The community advisory committee for MGM Empire City held its first hearing on Thursday without a presentation from MGM. The five-member Yonkers committee must secure four votes to approve the proposal, and the committees have until 30 September to vote and submit recommendations to the state; members said they would seek to hear MGM’s presentation later.
Caesars Entertainment’s proposed Times Square casino received public backing at a New York State Gaming Commission meeting from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts chief executive Geoff Ballotti, Sony Hall and The Town Hall. The plan is being developed with SL Green and Roc Nation, and applications for three New York City-area casino licences are due on 27 June.
New York sports bettors wagered more than $2.4bn in September, up 5% from September 2025, according to the New York State Gaming Commission. Handle for the first six months of the state's 2026/2027 fiscal year reached nearly $12.6bn, up 6.9% year on year, while sportsbook revenue fell 5.8% to $1.1bn. Prediction-market platforms dispute the gaming industry's claim that their trading diverts business from state-regulated sportsbooks.
New York sports bettors wagered more than $2.4bn in September, the New York State Gaming Commission reported. That was 5% more than in September 2025, an increase of nearly $114m in wagers.