Wynn New York Casino Plan Draws More Opposition

Opposition to a plan by Related Cos. and Wynn Resorts to bring a casino hotel to the West Side of Manhattan is mounting, with three community groups joining that fray on Monday.

Open Plans, Parks & Trails New York, and Save Chelsea each declared their objections to a proposed gaming venue attached to the Related/Wynn plan. They join the High Line, a nonprofit group named after a park in the area where the casino hotel would be located, in criticizing the proposal.

People visit the High Line and the surrounding neighborhood because of its unique walkable, livable character,” said Open Plans co-Executive Director Sara Lind in a statement. “It would be a mistake to ruin that by prioritizing car storage at the Western Yards. Allocating space for parking in new buildings reduces the amount of housing built and encourages car use and ownership, which directly harms the street experience of everyone not in a car. This area needs more livable space for people, not less.”

That echoes the sentiment of the High Line, which has said in recent months that the Related/Wynn project threatens the character of the neighborhood, views, and the availability of open space for residents to enjoy.

‘Misplaced Casino’ Could Degrade Neighborhood

The gaming venue is part of a broader $12 billion development plan pitched by Related for the west side of Hudson Yards. It’s expected that the integrated resort would be known as Wynn New York City, with the gaming company’s name adorning one of three towers on the site.

Some critics of the casino plan believe the 2009 agreement was a best-of-both-worlds proposal because it allotted for more housing without threatening the High Line’s iconic views. Related’s plan, including the Wynn casino, could alter that outcome for the worse says Pamela Wolff, president of Save Chelsea.

“The High Line is not just a cherished neighborhood park, but an internationally admired cultural treasure that Chelsea and the City of New York are proud of — a phenomenon that has inspired similar projects the world over. It should not be degraded by a misplaced casino,” Wolff said in the press release.

Park Space at Heart of Some NYC Casino Fights

Park space is becoming central to several of the New York City-area casino pitches, and that’s true of the Related/Wynn project. Last month, the companies said the project would include green space modeled after New York’s Bryant Park. They said the area would feature hundreds of shrubs and trees and a dog run.

Still, some locals are doubtful and believe that if the project moves forward, the amount of outdoor area for public use would be reduced, not increased.

“The proposed rezoning of the Western Rail Yards would do just the opposite. Constructing a building over a portion of the High Line, reducing usable public space, and taking away park access from the public for an undetermined amount of time are not sound development policies,” said Paul Steely White, executive director of Parks & Trails New York.