A new 6.3-acre community and civic hub on Manhattan’s east side is going to have a big time casino element to it, pending New York licensing. New video and renderings were released yesterday for Freedom Plaza, developed by Soloviev Group and designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, with Mohegan involved in the development of one of two hotels on the site. The development will be a public waterfront open space urban park with plans for an in-park Museum of Freedom and Democracy, affordable housing, two hotels, retail and restaurants. In a statement today was new video and renderings of the site.
A below-grade gaming area operated by Mohegan will be connected to the hotels. Banyan Tree Group will develop the other hotels. Freedom Plaza is vying for a downstate gaming license in and around New York City. The casino floor would measure 280K square feet, with 1,251 hotel guestrooms, 56K square feet of conference space, a wellness and spa retreat from Banyan Tree, and a roof deck infinity pool.
Mohegan’s U.S. operations include resorts in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and Canadian operations are based in Niagara Falls, with Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara. The tribal casino giant also owns and operates INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
