The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the labor union that represents New York City public school teachers, is the latest organization to join the No Times Square Casino Coalition. The coalition was formed in opposition to the proposed Caesars Palace Times Square Casino in Times Square, which is a joint bid between Caesar Entertainment, SL Green and RocNation for the construction of a casino at 1515 Broadway.
UFT president Michael Mulgrew in a statement called the casino a “bad idea,” saying, “It would undermine the theater district and dilute the distinctive power of Broadway, an industry that offers unique educational and career opportunities for our students. Broadway is an educational goldmine for the children of our city, and it needs to be protected.”
UFT has a history of encouraging student exposure to theater, specifically Broadway. Since 2017, UFT has collaborated with the Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry and a founding member of the coalition, to support Broadway Bridges, a program which aims to bring every New York City 10th grader to a Broadway show.
“Casinos have their place in urban centers, but ideally they create new attraction zones for business and tourism —not drain or diminish existing cultural centers,” Mulgrew continued.
UFT has a membership of nearly 200,000, comprising not just New York City educators but other school-related professionals, childcare providers, nurses and adult education instructors. The organization provides education, meals, mental health services and more to students in six midtown Manhattan schools.
UFT is one of many organizations to recently join the coalition, including all seven New York Theater Locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union whose members comprise stagehands, artisans and technicians on Broadway. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and 54 Below joined in 2023. Beyond the aforementioned League, other founding members of the coalition include the Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association, the Hell’s Kitchen Block Association, the West 47th-48th Streets Block Association and Times Square Church, as well as theater district eateries Sardi’s, Joe Allen, Orso and Bar Centrale.
However, other unions have come out in favor of the casino. The Coalition for a Better Times Square, which supports a Caesars Palace in the Theater District, includes members such as Actors’ Equity Association and Local 802, the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.
Results of a spring 2024 survey of 400 registered voters in the Times Square area indicated 71% of respondents oppose a casino in Times Square. Nearly 25% of respondents would support a casino in New York City if it were built in some other area outside of Times Square.
