Renderings courtesy of Related Companies and Wynn Resorts
Related Companies is dropping the casino from its project proposed for the undeveloped section of Hudson Yards, the developer announced Monday. In partnership with Wynn Resorts, Related previously pitched a $12 billion mixed-use development anchored by a casino, dubbed “Hudson Yards West,” as part of its bid for one of the state’s three downstate gaming licenses. Due to opposition from the community and local elected officials, Related and Wynn announced they would no longer pursue a gaming license. However, the developer plans to move forward with a plan to build 4,000 apartments and a new public park, as reported by the New York Times.
“The recent rezoning process has made it clear to us that there are uses for our capital more accretive to our shareholders, such as investment in our existing and upcoming developments and stock buy backs, than investing in an area in which we, or any casino operator, will face years of persistent opposition despite our willingness to employee 5,000 New Yorkers,” Wynn Resports said in a statement on Monday.
Plans for the project were first filed in February 2024 and included the construction of three new skyscrapers, including an 80-story residential building with 1,500 apartments (324 of which would be affordable), a 2.2 million-square-foot office tower, and a gaming facility and hotel run by Wynn.
Last month, Related announced it would replace a 1,400-foot-tall office tower with two residential buildings to increase the proposed housing from 1,500 units to 4,000 units total. The revised plan aimed to sweeten the bid ahead of a City Council vote on needed zoning changes for the project.
While the proposal was advanced by the City Planning Commission in April, critics opposed the project for changing the terms of a 2009 deal with the city that called for more housing for Hudson Yards. Plus, Friends of the High Line also argued the project would affect sightlines from the park.
Earlier this year, Manhattan Community Board 4 voted to reject the proposed casino complex, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine recommended disapproval of the proposal, claiming the plan “does not achieve its full housing potential,” according to DCP records.
Council Member Erik Bottcher, who represents the neighborhood, said he would not support a casino at the Western Rail Yards, making it unlikely the project would get Council approval.
On Monday, Bottcher announced a deal with Related to move forward with a development that would not have a casino, but instead, thousands of new housing units.
“This casino proposal did not meet the high bar of community support that such a consequential project demands. I have always said that any development of this scale must put the needs of New Yorkers first—and that means housing,” Bottcher said in a statement shared on X.
“This is a must-act moment for our city—a chance to deliver the housing, schools, and open space New Yorkers so urgently need. We can’t afford to let this opportunity slip away.”
According to Crain’s, Related will reduce the height of the towers’ podiums, build a one-acre lawn next to the High Line, and increase the affordable units from 324 to 400. The casino site will now be an office tower, with some residential units and possibly a hotel.
As 6sqft previously reported, the project site, bounded by West 30th and West 33rd Streets and 11th and 12th Avenues, requires building a platform over two-thirds of the 13-acre rail yard below. It sits directly west of the first phase of Hudson Yards, which opened in 2019.
In its revised, casino-free proposal, Related has expanded its planned “Hudson Green” park from 5.6 to 6.6 acres. Comparable in size to Bryant Park and designed by Hollander Design and Sasaki, the space would offer sweeping views of the Hudson River, with open lawns, gardens, playscapes, and groves creating a seamless connection along the site’s western edge.
In an interview, Bottcher told Gothamist the housing project could be “shovel-ready” by 2026. A required local rezoning, which must be completed beforehand, is nearing the end of its protracted review process.
Friends of the High Line, which had launched a campaign “Protect the High Line at the Rail Yards” to advocate for a plan that preserves views from the High Line and limits the size of the buildings, said they were “pleased” that Related’s original plan was revised.
“The latest plans appear to address many of our concerns related to the impacts on the High Line, enhanced public space, and a much-needed increase in affordable housing,” the group said in a statement. “However, the devil is in the details and we look forward to seeing those details and working with Councilmember Bottcher in the coming days.”
The City Council’s zoning committee is scheduled to vote on the rezoning this Thursday, with a full Council vote expected on May 28.
With Related’s withdrawal, fewer proposals remain in contention for one of three downstate gaming licenses, which are expected to be awarded later this year. Other high-profile proposals include New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $8 billion “Metropolian Park” next to Citi Field, the Bjarke Ingels-designed Freedom Plaza near the U.N., “The Avenir” complex across from the Javits Center, a Jay-Z-backed Caesars Palace casino in Times Square, and a proposal in Coney Island dubbed “The Coney.”
In April, Saks Fifth Avenue withdrew its casino proposal, which had called for a gaming facility atop its flagship store at 611 Fifth Avenue. A spokesperson said the company was now “focused on other strategic priorities.” That same month, Las Vegas Sands also pulled its bid for a casino just outside Queens’ borders in Nassau County, according to the Times.
Formal bids for the downstate casinos are due by June 27 and will be reviewed by Community Advisory Committees, with votes expected by September 30. Final decisions are anticipated by December 1, followed by licensure from the Commission by December 31.
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