Industry news
Wendell Pierce expresses the support of the Casino Times Square proposed
Caesars Palace Times Square is currently looking for a casino in the building that shelters The Lion King.
Wendell Pierce
Tricia Baron
Another notable name has been released in support of the casino offered Caesars Palace Times Square: the award -winning producer and actor Tony Andell Pierce. The veteran of the industry has announced that he is associated with the casino to launch the New York Coalition of Legacy Theatres of Color Fund, to support New York theaters that serve colored communities. Caesars Palace is committed to investing $ 10 million in the fund.
“As an artist and defender, I believe that the 21st century social justice movement is the economic development and the creation of opportunities that support and raise our communities – both on stage and beyond,” said Pierce in a press release. “Caesars Palace Times Square is a great investment, creating access and opportunities, with a deep creation of jobs in the greatest cultural economy in the world. This project will not only be a transformer for our creative Broadway community, but also for the wider workforce. Artistic dynamism for all. »»
The new fund will support color theaters and provide direct investments to stimulate production, marketing and awareness of colored theaters inherited from New York – such as Billie Holiday Theater, New Heritage Theater Group, The Black Spectrum Theater and The Negro Ensemble Company.
Caesars Palace Times Square – A joint venture between SL Green Realty, Caesars Entertainment, Roc Nation and Live Nation – is in partnership in order to win one of the three new game licenses. It plans to convert the office building existing at 1515 Broadway, a 54 -storey office building that houses the Minskoff theater The Lion King) On its third floor, in a large -scale casino, a Broadway theater and a hotel. The real estate developer SL SL Green has submitted the official request of the project to the New York State Gaming Commission, which will make a decision by the end of the year. He is part of the state plan to have three new casinos built in the five arrondissements of New York and Yonkers; Eight casinos submitted requests.
The latter announcement is part of Caesars Palace’s efforts to obtain support from the theatrical community. He had previously announced a partnership with Actors’ Equity Association and American Federation of Musicians Local 802 to accommodate monthly fairs for the members of the union, for jobs in the casino which offer flexibility to artists. It is also promising childcare services for artists and stage teams, debt relief and students’ rental assistance, and $ 20 million to Broadway theater tickets for disadvantaged families.
Despite this support, the Casino faces the opposition of other Broadway parties, including the Broadway League, Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, Internship Workers Union Iiatse and the Shubert organization. Those who oppose development have expressed their concern that, within a radius of 10 blocks already extremely congested, the casino would increase overcrowding, traffic and potentially crimes, and would also weaken the New York tax base.
