What Is Nas Up Against As He Backs Queens’ Billion-Dollar Bid as New York’s Casino Race Heats Up

Jay-Z’s high-profile gamble to bring Caesars Palace to Times Square has officially gone bust. After three years of lobbying and star power from Roc Nation, Caesars Entertainment, and SL Green Realty Corp., the proposal was shut down by New York’s community advisory committee—ending hopes of turning the heart of Manhattan’s theater district into a gambling and entertainment hub.

Meanwhile, across the river in Queens, Nas is doubling down on a rival bet. The rap legend and entrepreneur is backing Resorts World New York City, one of four remaining projects vying for one of three state casino licenses. His support aligns with a wave of community energy and economic optimism surrounding Queens, positioning the borough as the likely epicenter of New York’s next billion-dollar gaming boom.

 The Final Four: Who’s Still in the Game

1. Resorts World New York City – Queens

Supported by Nas and operated by Malaysian billionaire Lim Kok Thay’s Genting Group, Resorts World has been one of the city’s top-performing racinos since 2011. Now, the company wants to transform its Aqueduct Racetrack location into a $5.6 billion full-scale resort—featuring a 500,000-square-foot casino with 6,000 slots, 800 tables, 2,000 hotel rooms, and a 7,000-seat entertainment venue.

Projected annual revenue: $2.2 billion. The expansion would also create thousands of jobs and make Queens the capital of East Coast gaming.

2. Metropolitan Park – Flushing, Queens

Owned by Mets billionaire Steve Cohen and powered by Hard Rock International, the proposed $8.1 billion Metropolitan Park development would turn 78 acres near Citi Field into a casino, hotel, convention center, and green space linking the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with Flushing Bay.

Expected to generate $3.9 billion in annual revenue, the project has strong community backing and promises over $1 billion in benefits for Queens.

3. Bally’s Bronx

Led by Queens native Soo Kim, Bally’s Corporation is pitching a $4 billion casino beside the former Trump Links golf course in Ferry Point. The plan includes 3,500 slot machines, 250 table games, a 500-room hotel, and a 2,000-seat event center. Bally’s has pledged $27.5 million annually in community investment and projects $1 billion in yearly gaming revenue.

4. MGM Empire City – Yonkers

Already operational as a racino, MGM’s Empire City Casino in Yonkers wants to upgrade to a Las Vegas–style complex. The $2.3 billion redevelopment would include a 5,000-seat venue and new meeting spaces, with MGM projecting $1.4 billion in annual gaming revenue once approved.

The High Stakes of a New York Casino License

New York’s first full-scale casino licenses are the most coveted in the country, offering access to one of the richest, most tourism-heavy markets in the world. Analysts estimate the projects could create tens of thousands of jobs and inject billions in new tax revenue into the state economy.

“New York is the biggest opportunity for years to come,” said Chad Beynon, a gaming and hospitality analyst quoted by Forbes.

But New York State Gaming Commission Chairman Brian O’Dwyer has warned there are “no favorites.” The panel may award up to three licenses—or none at all—depending on whether proposals “serve the public interest.”

The Folded Hands: Jay-Z’s Casino Hopes End

Jay-Z’s Caesars Palace Times Square proposal was just one of several high-profile casualties in Manhattan’s casino race. Other failed bids include:

• Wynn Resorts and Related Companies’ Hudson Yards project, withdrawn after “years of persistent opposition.”
• Stefan Soloviev’s Freedom Plaza near the U.N., rejected by city officials.
• The Coney, a $3 billion Coney Island casino backed by Thor Equities and Legends (a Yankees–Cowboys venture), also turned down by locals.

  Even Las Vegas Sands dropped out after its Long Island Nassau Coliseum plan failed to gain traction.