Group Opposes Jay-Z’s Casino Project In Times Square

Rapper-turned-mogul Jay-Z has 99 problems … and the Broadway League is only one.

At the beginning of December, AllHipHop.com reported Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and other partners were planning to open a casino but was getting some pushback from the largest Broadway advocacy group in the city.

Now, the Broadway League, which includes theatre owners and producers, is upping the ante.

Charlotte St. Martin, the organization’s president, said in a press release, “The proposed plan to bring a casino to Times Square would introduce widespread economic and operational disruption, unprecedented congestion, and decreased safety and security.”

The Broadway League is not alone. The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center at the Urban Institute also thinks the casino is a bad idea.

In November, Lucy Dadayan tweeted, asking the question, “Do the benefits of casinos outweigh the societal costs? History says no.”

In a piece published by Crain’s, Dadayan wrote, “Supporters argue that casinos promote local economic development, create jobs, and provide a voluntary expansion of entertainment options. But casinos can lead to higher crime and bankruptcy rates in a local community as well as addiction among some gamblers.”

“The jobs they create may not include useful or transferable workforce skills that can be applied elsewhere,” she continued.

“Clearly some of the arguments made by proponents and opponents can be true, and gambling isn’t the only legal activity with negative externalities. Communities, however, need to figure out if the benefits outweigh the costs,” Dadayan continued.

This ain’t gonna be the slam dunk he thought it would be.