The Caesars Times Square casino proposal has begun finding new opponents among various New York unions, most recently the United Federation of Teachers (UFT).
The UFT, which has over 200,000 members, is joining the No Times Square Casino Coalition, the main organization opposed to the project. UFT believes a casino should be built elsewhere, outside of midtown Manhattan and in an area in more serious need of an economic boost.
The No Times Square Casino Coalition has gathered support from 30 members, including unions, local businesses, and residents. Its members believe the Caesars Times Square project will harm the area, including diminishing revenue for Broadway and local businesses. According to its website, 71% of registered voters living in and around Times Square are against opening a casino.
The project is one of 11 hopefuls who want to build a casino in downstate New York. The proposed casino is a collaboration between Caesars Entertainment and developer SL Green Realty Corporation, and it’s backed by Jay Z’s Roc Nation. Last year, the rapper wrote an open letter to New Yorkers to support the casino, which he called “a too important moment in our city’s illustrious history.” The casino would be located at 1515 Broadway, currently home to the Minskoff Theatre and “The Lion King” Disney musical.
Unions Say Casino Would Harm Broadway
UFT President Michael Mulgrew is not against a casino in New York City but says it should be located where it would benefit the economy, not diminish existing cultural areas like Broadway. He added,
Converting a historic Broadway Theater into a casino is a bad idea. It would undermine the Theater District and dilute the distinctive power of Broadway, an industry that offers unique educational and career opportunities for our students. Broadway is an educational goldmine for the children of our city, and it needs to be protected.
Other recently joined the coalition unions include all seven of IATSE’s New York Theater Locals. IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories, and Canada) agree that New York could benefit from a casino, but not in the middle of the theater district. Union representatives say casinos are designed to keep visitors indoors, so they could threaten Broadway and the surrounding area, which is still recovering from COVID-19. IATSE suggests that one of the other proposals could create new jobs without jeopardizing Broadway.
Caesars Believes Casino Will Boost Broadway
Caesars Entertainment disagrees with the UFT and IATSE stance. A company’s spokesperson told the New York Post that the UFT didn’t do its homework and said:
Bringing a world-class entertainment destination to Times Square will actually grow the audience for Broadway shows, and we will provide tens of millions of dollars in Broadway tickets to New York City students and educational programs as part of a successful bid. The unions representing Broadway actors and musicians support our bid precisely because we will benefit the theater community and Times Square.
The project has support from the Coalition for a Better Times Square, which includes nearly 20 unions. While most are from the construction industry, the project also has support from the Actors Equity Association and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802.
Unions Often Oppose Gambling Expansion
Unions have long been staunch opponents of gambling expansion nationwide, especially online casinos. Most commonly, they fear cannibalization and lost jobs. New York is one of the most notable examples. The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council was one of the primary opponents to an iGaming proposal this year. Similarly, union resistance played a significant role in Maryland’s failed online casino effort.
Unions have also opposed retail casino projects. In Virginia, Unite Here, a hospitality workers’ union, opposed a Petersburg proposal by Cordish Companies. However, the objection was due to the city council’s controversial selection of Cordish, with whom the union has a poor relationship.
There are also instances where unions support gambling expansion. Recently, in Virginia, a coalition of unions rallied behind a casino proposal in Tysons. While the obvious job creation was the reason for support in Virginia, a lottery proposal in Nevada got a union’s backing for a different reason: more mental health and education resources.
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