The developers of a proposed $12 billion Hudson Yards casino complex promised to invest 1% of its gross revenues into community programs in the face of fierce local opposition.
The Wynn NYC-Related Companies’ pledge would mean $197 million over 10 years — in addition to another $6.5 million to be donated to charitable groups even before opening, if the casino is given a coveted license.
The money would come as a sweetener for the neighborhood as groups have lined up against the casino plan, including the local community board and the group the Friends of the High Line — which focuses on the elevated walkway park that would be in its path.
But the proposers insist the community reinvestment initiative will uplift the Hudson Yards and Chelsea nabes, not degrade them.
The surrounding Chelsea community — including NYCHA residents — would receive grants to aid the neighborhood.
The Wynn New York City Community Foundation will have a $4 million annual budget, and its board will include community representatives “to ensure philanthropic requests are fulfilled efficiently and purposefully with the goal of advancing quality of life improvements in West Chelsea.”
Beneficiaries will include the homeless provider WINS’ Food Pantry; the Hudson Guild, which provides social services for children and families in Chelsea and along the West Side of Manhattan; and the Holy Apostles emergency food program.
The fund would also provide job training and employment to residents of nearby public housing.
“This partnership presents an unprecedented opportunity to uplift [New York City Housing Authority] residents by providing access to meaningful careers, not just jobs,” said Alex Zablocki, executive director of the Public Housing Community Fund.
“Through workforce training, career development, and higher education opportunities, we are ensuring that public housing residents have a direct path to economic mobility as this project is built and once it opens.”
In addition, “The Wynn Creatives Initiative” would boost the historic Chelsea Arts District.
Funding would include paying arts commissions for their works — any artist whose work is sold would receive 100%t of the proceeds.
The developer also pledged to have an on-site box office to offer ticket sales for events on Broadway, Lincoln Center, The Shed, Stonewall National Monument and other attractions and landmarks to bolster tourism.
The proposed casino project would feature an 80-story tower overlooking the Hudson River to house the gaming facility and hotel.
Office buildings, apartment towers and a spacious 5.6-acre park would surround the gleaming skyscraper.
The plan promises to produce 5,000 permanent jobs in the resort, 60% which would not require
a college degree.
Community Board 4 — which represents the Hudson Yards neighborhood — voted unanimously last month against approving a zoning change to allow the project by Related Companies and Wynn to proceed, saying it would be bad for the neighborhood.
Friends of the High Line said dangling money won’t win support for the project.
“The fact that Related and Wynn are now trying to buy our community off shows just how out of touch they are. They need to scrap this plan and do what they should have done in the first place — work with the community to develop the Western Rail Yards in a way that increases housing, creates new jobs and protects the High Line,” said Friends of the High Line executive director Alan Van Capelle.
Under the city’s Uniformed Land Use Procedure, the local board has a right to weigh in on the zoning change, though the vote is only a recommendation.
Ultimately, the City Council must sign off along with city planners in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
The Hudson Yards proposal is one of four casino bids that need to get land use changes approved by the city before even being considered by state gaming regulators.
The others include Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen’s bid to build an $8 billion casino-entertainment complex next to Citi Field in Queens; the Thor Equities’ consortium to erect a casino in Coney Island; and Bally’s proposed casino next to its golf course in the Bronx’s Ferry Point.
The state Gaming Commission has the final say on which bidders are granted up to three casino licenses by year’s end.
Other bidders with chips on the table vying for a state casino license include: Las Vegas Sands project at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum hub in Uniondale; The SL Green/Caesar’s Entertainment/Jay-Z Roc Nation $4 billion proposal in Times Square; the Stefan Soloviev and Mohegan Sun project along the East River and the Silverstein Properties/Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment plan for a casino at West 41st Street and 11th Avenue north of the Jacob Javits Center.
