Jay-Z Pledges Over $250 Million to Hell’s Kitchen in Bid for NYC Casino License

New York residents can access our best sports betting sites and the best real-money online casinos. However, they don't have downstate retail casinos - yet - and with that set to change, the competition for licenses is bound to heat up.

Rap star and entrepreneur Jay-Z has promised more than $250 million in grant money to support the Hell’s Kitchen community if his bid for a New York City casino license is successful.

The pledge is the latest in an almost two-year-long campaign to convince the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) that Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation, in collaboration with Caesars Entertainment and SL Green, should receive one of the state’s three downstate casino licenses. 

New York regulators recently established a timeline for casino applications in the downstate region, giving bidders until June 27, 2025, to submit their proposals.

Supporting local

An initial $15 million would be given directly to the local Hell’s Kitchen community, with further grants to follow based on 0.5% of the casino’s overall performance. Distributed by a resident-run local trust, the grants would support improvements in Hell’s Kitchen, Times Square, and other nearby areas. 

“We are New Yorkers. Supporting and providing opportunities for our neighborhoods and community isn’t just a part of Roc Nation’s ethos…it’s our collective responsibility,” said the rapper.

“Any proposal that wins a gaming license will undoubtedly profit. Our vision is to give back to New York and ensure that the Broadway community, Hell’s Kitchen, and the surrounding businesses and areas all benefit. And not just for a minute, but for the long-term.”

Manhattan Plaza meeting

Earlier in September, representatives from the Roc Nation-led collaboration met with residents of Manhattan Plaza, a 46-floor subsidized apartment complex in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, to discuss the benefits of the Caesars Times Square Casino. 

In attendance was Tenant Association President Aleta LaFargue, who had previously referred to the project as a “predatory business” when representatives of the three companies held an eight-hour free buffet and sales pitch for local residents and workers last October.

During the most recent meeting, LaForgue told tenants, “I know there’s a lot of feelings about whether or not our community gets a casino, but here we are to listen to what they have to say, what they have to offer.”

Days after the meeting, local NYC news outlet The City reported that LaForgue had been offered a $20,000 monthly contract to work for Roc Nation as an independent contractor. However, LaForgue has since written a statement denying her acceptance of the role.

Other nearby bids

Caesars Entertainment and SL Green Realty first submitted their Times Square casino bid in October 2022, with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation joining the project in December of the same year. 1515 Broadway, the site of the proposed Caesars Times Square Casino, is one of three Midtown casino bids whose proximity to Hell’s Kitchen will have a notable impact on its community. 

Silverstein Properties, in collaboration with Parx Casinos owner Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, plans to develop The Avenir – a 46-story hotel, casino, and residential complex – on the corner of 41st Street and 11th Avenue. Additionally, partners Wynn Resorts and Related Companies seek to develop a $12 billion Wynn Casino complex in the nearby Hudson Yards.