Published on: September 21, 2025, 11:19 AM.
Updated on: September 21, 2025, 11:19 AM.
- Freedom Plaza aims to offer over 1,000 affordable housing units
- The casino proposal targets East Midtown in Manhattan
- This $11 billion initiative is a collaboration between Soloviev Group and Mohegan
Freedom Plaza, a proposed $11 billion project vying for a casino license in downstate New York, has revised its plan to include a much higher number of affordable housing units.
In anticipation of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) vote tomorrow morning regarding the casino resort proposal for Midtown East, Soloviev Group and Mohegan are enhancing their commitment to affordable housing initiatives that this complex would support.
Freedom Plaza has committed to developing 1,080 residential units as part of the casino project on five acres of undeveloped property located between FDR Drive and 1st Ave, at 38th and 41st Streets. Initially, the proposal outlined 500 units as “permanently affordable,” but this has since been revised to at least 600 affordable units.
Now, mere hours before the CAC votes on whether Freedom Plaza will proceed to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB), Freedom Plaza has announced that all 1,080 residential units will be rent-controlled under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing policy.
“We are answering the call from leaders who indicate a pressing need for affordable housing in New York City. The sincere testimonies of local residents, especially young people, alongside the valuable contributions from community and civic leaders have influenced this decision,” stated Michael Hershman, CEO of Soloviev Group. “In our view, obtaining a gaming license is a privilege that offers a chance to fully utilize its economic potential for community and civic gains that would otherwise remain unattainable.”
“Stable housing is crucial, and our commitment underscores our profound investment in the future of New York,” added Mohegan CEO Ray Pineault.
CAC Voting Details
After three meetings exploring the specifics of Freedom Plaza’s development and gathering community feedback, the Community Advisory Committee will cast their vote on advancing the project tomorrow at 10 AM local time.
Should a minimum of four members (three-fifths) vote in favor of the development, it would mark the first casino bid approved by the GFLB. The GLCB is set to announce the three casino licenses by December 1. Only proposals that receive CAC approval will be considered by the state panel.
Freedom Plaza’s prospects appear to have strengthened recently, following unfavorable CAC votes for Caesars Palace Times Square and The Avenir near the Javits Center, leaving Freedom Plaza as the sole casino proposal for Manhattan.
Insights on Freedom Plaza
The Freedom Plaza project is planned to feature two high-end hotels with a total of 1,251 rooms. The resort is designed to offer more than 30 dining and beverage options, 55,745 square feet of convention and entertainment spaces, nearly 31,000 square feet of retail area, a daycare facility, and approximately 4.77 acres of landscaped public park integrated into the development.
Freedom Plaza has not specified the number of slot machines and table games planned, but it has indicated that the casino floor will cover nearly 300,000 square feet, positioning it among the largest casinos in the United States.
Freedom Plaza anticipates the creation of 25,875 construction jobs and 13,403 permanent roles upon becoming operational. Both Soloviev and Mohegan have committed to offering union jobs for construction and operational roles.