Manhattan neighbors blast plan to build casino alongside UN building

Hundreds of Midtown East residents voiced overwhelming opposition to a plan to build an underground casino next to the United Nations during a heated town hall Thursday evening, with shouts of “blood money” and “not here!”

The plan, from the Soloviev Group, would be for a massive entertainment district dubbed “Freedom Plaza” that would include a casino, hotel, shops, open space and over 500 units of affordable housing between 38th and 41st St. beside the FDR Drive.

The developers presented the plan at a public meeting hosted by state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez at the NYU College of Dentistry, with more than 800 people signed up.

The resounding response from those in the room: no dice.

“I think a casino would be horrible for the entire neighborhood,” said one Tudor City man.

“There’s just something that makes me uncomfortable about the United Nations, a symbol of unity amongst the world, being next door to a morally bankrupt casino,” said another man from Murray Hill.

“I just don’t think we need this,” said a Gramercy resident who gave his first name as Andrew. “And I do think anyone that supports this is gonna get thrown out of office, frankly.”

Attendees expressed a wide variety of fears about the project, including concerns about the potential impacts on public safety, health, infrastructure, traffic, quality of life, emergency services and the UN.

Soloviev Group CEO Michael Hershman was undeterred by the pushback.

“In the upcoming weeks, we look forward to hosting a series of conversations in which we can present details of our robust proposal that includes community benefits like affordable housing, open green space, and job creation, and continue to address questions,” he said in a statement.

Soloviev is among the nine confirmed contenders within New York City vying for one of three coveted downstate casino licenses when state applications formally open up. That will likely happen in late January or early February, state Gaming Commissioner Jerry Skurnik said Thursday.

There are four other proposals across Manhattan, all in Midtown: two around Hudson Yards, one in Times Square and one atop Saks Fifth Avenue.

There is also one at Trump’s former golf course at Ferry Point in the Bronx; on the Coney Island waterfront in Brooklyn; and two in Queens: one near Citi Field from Mets owner Steve Cohen, the other at the existing Resorts World “racino” beside the Aqueduct Racetrack.

Two of the three downstate licenses are widely predicted to go to Resorts World and another existing “racino” in Yonkers, raising the stakes for the remaining bidders.

Every city applicant will first need approval from a six-person Community Advisory Committee before they can be considered by the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board. Membership will vary based on the project’s proposed location, and will consist of appointees by the governor, mayor, local state senator, assembly member, borough president and city councilmember.

Four favorable votes are required for any casino plan to move forward.

None of the elected officials who spoke expressed support for the Freedom Plaza plan.

And while speakers from the Soloviev Group were occasionally heckled by members of the public, perhaps the strongest reaction of the crowd was to comments made by Robert Gottheim, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler.

Gottheim said Manhattan will likely end up getting a casino “because this is where the money is.”

“We certainly welcome the money that it brings, but it also brings—” he said before being cut off by a chorus of “no’s” and a comment about “blood money.”

“It may be blood money, but the money is coming,” Gottheim said.

A woman in the crowd responded, “We don’t want it.”

Soloviev has already launched a significant public campaign to woo the local community.

Early iterations of the plan included a Ferris wheel; when that proved unpopular it was removed and replaced with hundreds of proposed affordable apartments; and on Thursday the developers announced that, if selected, they will set up a community investment fund of at least $5 million a year or 2% of annual net profits, starting when they get the license.

But those at the town hall did not seem swayed.

Sen. Gonzalez noted that not a single public speaker voiced support for the plan.

“I think it’s pretty clear that the community does not want to see a casino,” she told the Daily News.