Silverstein eyes New York City casino bid

Commercial real estate developer Silverstein Properties, in partnership with Greenwood Gaming, plans to bid on one of the three available downstate casino licenses in New York.

Silverstein is proposing a mixed-use development with a 600,000-square foot casino and 1,000-room hotel connected to a residential complex via a public skybridge in Hell’s Kitchen on 11th Avenue.

The site, previously a Mercedes Benz dealership that Silverstein purchased in 2015 for $100 million, sits adjacent to the Javits Convention Center. The tentative name of the casino is Avenir.

The property would feature 12 full-service restaurants, a performance venue and art gallery featuring local artists.

The performance venue is being designed to complement Broadway theaters, not compete with them, the company said. The Broadway League is opposing a casino in Times Square, where Caesars and partners SL Green Realty have proposed to put a Caesars Palace.

Other bidders include Las Vegas Sands, Bally’s, MLB New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, Mohegan and Soloviev Group, Saks Fifth Avenue, Rush Street Gaming and Vornado, MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts, Hard Rock and Genting Malaysia.

Source: Fantini’s Gaming Report