The Entertainment Community Fund is the latest organization to publicly oppose the proposed Caesars Palace Times Square Casino. The nonprofit that provides support and resources to the entertainment industry has joined the No Times Square Coalition, which was formed in 2023 to offer a communal dissent from organizations and unions that work in and around Times Square.
“We believe that a casino in the heart of New York City takes Times Square in the wrong direction,” said Fund president and CEO Joseph P. Benincasa in a statement. “Our board opposes the Times Square casino bid. We believe it will create a less safe and secure neighborhood for those working on stage and behind the scenes who make Broadway and the entire New York City theater community vibrant.”
The Fund is intricately tied to the theater industry; Broadway productions regularly offer select performances whose ticket revenue directly supports the Fund. The organization is one of many Broadway-related organizations to join the coalition, including the Broadway League, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Local USA 829 (the New York branch of the union representing designers) and Local 764 (the New York branch of the union representing Broadway wardrobe workers and child guardians), all of which were represented in a recent Coalition-led rally in Duffy Square.
“We’re glad to have the Entertainment Community Fund join the No Times Square Casino Coalition and take part in our tireless effort to ensure our neighborhood residents, local businesses and theater community are protected from ramifications of a casino in the heart of Times Square,” said Broadway League president Jason Laks.
The announcement of the Fund’s participation in the coalition comes as the process to evaluate bids for casino locations begins. The Times Square casino is a joint bid between Caesar Entertainment, SL Green and RocNation for the construction of a casino at 1515 Broadway.
With the inclusion of the Fund, the Coalition now comprises 35 members. Beyond the aforementioned organizations and locals, other members include 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; the Shubert Organization; TDF; 54 Below; the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPA); Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association; the Hell’s Kitchen Block Association; the West 45th Street Block Association; the West 47th-48th Streets Block Association; the United Federation of Teachers; Times Square Church; as well as theater district eateries Sardi’s, Joe Allen, Orso and Bar Centrale.
