If the plan is successful in obtaining one of the three downstate New York gaming licenses, the Caesars Palace New York City bid for Times Square would provide millions of dollars in financial support for the LGBTQ+ populations in Manhattan.

Caesars Palace Times Square is a proposed $4 billion redevelopment of 1515 Broadway in Times Square, spearheaded by NYC real estate behemoth SL Green in collaboration with Caesars Entertainment and Jay-Z's Roc Nation. The Viacom and MTV Studios office complex would be converted into a casino resort if state authorities approved the project.

If the developers win, they say they will donate $3 million to Callen-Lorde Community Health Center for a new Center for Excellence in Sexual Health in addition to Caesars Palace Times Square. The current services offered by Callen-Lorde in Chelsea would be supported by an additional $2 million.

Just west of Times Square, in the Hell's Kitchen area, would be the location of the sexual health facility.  Additionally, the medical center would increase access to high-quality, quick HIV and STI testing.

License-Dependent Pledges

As “the global leader in LGBTQ+ health care,” with clinics in Chelsea, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, Callen-Lorde stands to gain a great deal if the Caesars Palace Times Square is one of the three downstate New York casinos that win.

The goal of Callen-Lorde, which bears the names of Michael Callen and Audre Lorde, who passed away from AIDS and cancer, respectively, is to offer top-notch medical care to New York's LGBTI and transgender populations, irrespective of a patient's financial situation.  In addition, Callen-Lorde supports LGBTQ+ causes and wellness and health education.

The Caesars Palace development team pledged $5 million to Callen-Lorde if it were permitted to introduce slot machines, live-dealer table games, and sports betting to the Crossroads of the World, using 30-year-high STI rates as justification.

"At SL Green, we believe that vibrant neighborhoods are built on strong institutions, and Callen-Lorde is exactly that,” said Brett Herschenfeld, senior vice president at SL Green. “We are proud to support the expansion of their critical services in Hell’s Kitchen, where this state-of-the-art facility will dramatically improve access to rapid testing and treatment for New Yorkers most at risk. This is the kind of community-centered innovation our city needs.”

According to Patrick McGovern, CEO of Callen-Lorde, the new facility would be 20,000 square feet in size and provide urgent treatment through an on-site pharmacy as well as quick, same-day test results.

Sweeteners for Casinos

The last eight proposals for downstate New York are all highlighting the ways in which their projects would best serve the communities where they hope to do business.  The bidders keep touting their advantages in enhancing the area, from public open spaces and cheap housing to infrastructural improvements and medical amenities.

This Friday, June 27, is the last day to apply to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board.  A Community Advisory Committee with five members for applications within NYC and six members for applications outside the city limits will then be assigned to each qualified proposal by the state agency.

Before the Gaming Facility Location Board may formally grant the proposal a gaming license, each CAC must vote with a two-thirds majority.