Times Square Casino Safe Bet, Says Former NYPD Commissioner

Bratton’s casino

New York Police Commissioner William “Bill” Bratton stands with a police officer in Times Square on New Year’s Eve 2013. Bratton thinks a casino in Times Square would make it safer for tourists. Image: AP
One of the nation’s most esteemed law enforcement specialists is Bratton. Bratton, a Democrat, has chaired the Homeland Security Advisory Council, an administrative office of the president, since 2020.

Bratton works in DC but stays connected to New York City and Boston. After Manhattan real estate company SL Green and Caesars Entertainment presented a casino resort idea in October, Bratton supported it.

The real estate investment trust’s Times Square tower at 1515 Broadway might become a casino complex, according to SL Green and Caesars. Viacom and MTV are tenants.

Casino Ally

In 2013, New York authorized commercial gambling. Up to seven land-based commercial casinos featuring slot machines, table games, and sports betting were legalized by the measure.

New York City and its five boroughs, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley received three licenses, while upstate New York received four.

Three downstate casino concessions were postponed for 10 years under the 2013 bill. The decade-long delay on downstate casino bids gave the four upstate casinos an initial operating period without downstate competition.

In today’s New York Daily News, Bratton stated his support for Caesars and SL Green’s Times Square casino project. COVID-19 decimated office buildings and retail businesses in “The Crossroads of the World,” according to New York’s former top cop.

According to Bratton, rising crime has slowed tourism revival. However, a casino project may help.

Crime will erode the neighborhood’s economy if left uncontrolled. Local stores and eateries will suffer as tourists and theatergoers shun the neighborhood. “Commercial office workers will fight a return to a potentially unsafe commute,” Bratton said.

Bratton added, “But this is far from hopeless.” “SL Green is bidding for a new gambling license alongside Caesars Entertainment. By definition, gaming establishments are secure. For years to come, this investment will keep Times Square safe and secure for everyone.”

Inspiring

Bratton revealed that supporting a Times Square casino could benefit him financially.

In his op-ed, the two-time NYPD commissioner revealed that Caesars/SL Green has hired Teneo, a worldwide consultancy and advisory business based in New York City, to brainstorm ways a casino may improve Times Square security. Bratton became Teneo’s risk advice division executive chair in 2017.

If Caesars/SL Green gets one of the three downstate casino licenses, Bratton says the group will invest at least $85 million in a new public-private safety project.

Between Sixth and Eighth avenues, the suggested security measures would cover 40th to 53rd streets. “The investment would include millions of dollars for extra security staff and an expanded security presence between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., when theater crowds, visitors, and the local employees who serve them are still out and about,” Bratton concluded.