Poll Shows Majority of Midtown Voters Are Against the Times Sqaure Casino

According to a new poll commissioned by the No Times Square Casino Coalition, 67% of registered voters who live in Midtown and on the West Side oppose a proposed Times Square casino. Despite pledging $250 million in IOUs to win over neighborhood support, the casino’s developers SL Green, Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation have not dented the overwhelming community opposition—today’s results show essentially the same levels of strong opposition to the Times Square casino as a previous poll conducted in April 2024, falling within the margin of error.

A decisive vote by the project’s Community Advisory Committee is expected later this month. 

In a signal to local elected officials considering running for the open Manhattan congressional seat next year, 64% of voters said they would be less likely to support a politician running for office who supported the Times Square casino. Respondents were most concerned about the potential for worsening traffic congestion, increasing crime and making the area less pleasant to live and work. 

Opposition to the casino cut across all major demographic groups, with particularly strong objections among seniors and women. Voters who “strongly oppose” the Times Square casino outnumber those who “strongly support” it by a margin of 9 to 1. 

Read more about the arguments for and against the casino.

The multi-modal poll was conducted by Tulchin Research between August 28 and September 2 and surveyed 400 registered voters who live in and around Midtown Manhattan. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points. Read the poll summary here.

“Just days ahead of the decisive vote on a Times Square casino, the neighborhood’s verdict is clear: this location stinks. Residents and workers don’t want the crime, chaos and congestion a casino will bring. The developer’s strategy of buying and gaslighting their way to community support has backfired. We need our local elected officials to stand up for the people who live and work here, and vote this casino down,” said Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League.

“This casino would hurt the seniors and vulnerable people we serve at Encore. Many older adults live on fixed incomes and can be socially isolated. Casinos deliberately prey on these vulnerabilities. Times Square is more than a destination—it’s part of a neighborhood. A casino will make our community less livable, and that’s why we and the people we serve are so fired up to oppose it,” said Jeremy Kaplan, Executive Director of Encore Community Services.

Poll Takeaways:

• Continued Opposition: 67% of voters who live in and around Times Square oppose the opening of a casino in the area, within the margin of error of a 2024 survey. Only 24% support the casino.
• Strong Opinions Overwhelmingly Negative: 50% of voters surveyed were “strongly opposed” to a Times Square casino, compared to just 6% that “strongly support.”
• Women and Seniors are the Most Opposed: The strongest objections to the casino came from seniors (oppose 74%, support 16%) and women (73% oppose, 17% support).
• Crime: 77% of respondents are concerned a casino in Times Square would attract more crime to the area, including 54% who are “very concerned.”
• Quality of Life: 75% of respondents are concerned a casino in Times Square would make the area less pleasant to live and work, including 57% who are “very concerned.”
• Traffic Congestion: 74% of respondents are concerned a casino in Times Square would worsen traffic in an already congested area, including 55% who are “very concerned.”

The No Times Square Casino Coalition is a grassroots campaign that has grown to more than 35 organizations, including IATSE—the largest union on Broadway representing 7 locals and 168,000 workers across North America—the United Federation of Teachers, social service providers like the Ali Forni Center and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, as well as resident groups like the Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association and Westside Neighborhood Alliance.

Coalition members include:

• 54 Below
• American Bus Association
• ATPAM
• Audience Rewards
• Bar Centrale
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
• CHEKPEDS
• Council of Chelsea Block Associations
• Encore Community Services
• Entertainment Community Fund
• Hell’s Kitchen Block Alliance
• Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association
• The Hippodrome
• IATSE Local One
• IATSE Local 306
• IATSE Local 751
• IATSE Local 764
• IATSE Local 798
• Joe Allen
• National Organization for Women NYC (NOW-NYC)
• Orso
• Project FIND
• Sardi’s
• TDF
• Times Square Church
• The Ali Forney Center
• The Broadway League
• The Shubert Organization
• The Voice of Student Youth & Travel
• The West 45th Street Block Association
• The West 47th/48th Street Block Association
• United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
• United Scenic Artists 829
• Westside Neighborhood Alliance 

About Tulchin Research:

Tulchin Research is an award-winning polling and strategic consulting firm that was recently named national Pollster of the Year® by their peers in the political consulting industry. They are leading pollsters in the state of New York having advised the campaigns of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and have been recognized in City & State’s Top 75 and Power Player lists. Tulchin Research also has extensive experience conducting research on casinos and gaming across the country.