17 trade unions throw support behind Times Square casino bid

Seventeen trade unions, including steamfitters, cement masons and building material workers, said on Monday they sent a letter to three Manhattan elected officials expressing support for SL Green, Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation to bring a full-service casino to an existing office building at 1515 Broadway.

In the letter addressed to Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Assembly Member Tony Simone and Council Member Erik Bottcher, the unions said the developer and entertainment groups have a “proud history” of working with organized labor. 

“Both SL Green and Caesars have a proud history of working collaboratively with organized labor,” the letter states. “Their proposed venture in Times Square will be no different. They have executed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter into a project labor agreement with BCTC, a neutrality agreement with HTC, and agreements of support from Mason Tenders – Locals 79-78-66-108-1261, the Freelancers Union, and the NYC District of Carpenters.”

amNewYork Metro reached out to all three elected officials, but only received a response from staff at Simone’s office, who said the assembly member never received the letter. 

Ed Piccinich, chief operations officer of SL Green, said the project will include 6,000 union construction jobs.

“We’re one of the only bidders building as of right, meaning we’re not going for rezoning,” he said. “We really feel that with Caesars Palace we have the economic engine behind us to really give this neighborhood what it needs.”

Times Square is just one of at least nine New York City metro-area sites being looked at for three available casino licenses in the coming years. Caesars, if awarded one of the licenses, would convert an existing 54-story office building at 1515 Broadway, between W. 44 and W. 45 Streets into a Vegas-style casino.

Opposition from other trades

Currently, all metro-area casino bidders are in the early stages of the licensing process, which is conducted by the state and includes an extensive series of approvals. 

Despite the trade support, some unions say a casino in the Crossroads of the World is a bad bet. 

On July 25, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union, joined the No Times Square Coalition to oppose the project. 

According to a press release from the union, a casino would hurt the theater district because it would keep people inside the facility and would not venture out to enjoy all that Times Square has to offer. 

“Times Square is the worst place a casino could be located,” the coalition said in a statement to amNew York Metro. “It would threaten the very fabric of the Theater District and all the businesses and workers who rely on its success. More than 71% of people who live in the neighborhood oppose the casino, citing worsening traffic congestion, increasing crime and making the area less pleasant to live and work as major concerns.”

But Piccinich disagrees and said a casino on the Great White Way would prove to be a local economic boon.

“I believe that our reputation speaks for itself,” he said. “With Caesars Palace as our partner, I think that the proposal is that much more encouraging to make sure that the surrounding hotels, bars and restaurants, and entertainment venues understand that we’re coming in to increase hotel space, increase to millions of more meals, and not just at 1515 Broadway where we’d have the casino but the adjacent retail locations.”