Jay-Z is consistently making big money moves, and there are a few projects he’s been working on for a couple of years now. One of them is his plan to make a Caesars Palace casino in New York City’s Times Square, and he and his Roc Nation agency are pushing that possibility forward.

According to Complex, Jay and the New York State Gaming Commission held a committee hearing on Wednesday (July 23) to discuss the initiative with Caesars Entertainment, SL Green, and Roc Nation representatives. The Roc’s CEO Desiree Perez (who’s catching online heat these days with Hov) introduced the Brooklyn rapper at around the 44-minute mark of the video below.

“I’m trying to reserve myself – it’s a very good idea,” Jay-Z remarked. “Very good alignment for us to fulfill the promise of of Times Square.” He spoke on cross-borough business partnerships being “what New York really looks like” and recalled his sports entertainment background while advocating for a Caesars Palace Times Square location.

Furthermore, all three corporations reportedly entered a bid for the casino that predicts over $7 billion in taxes, $26.7 billion for local businesses, over 3,000 construction jobs, and 3,800-plus permanent jobs. Hypothetically, the location would also boast a 992-room five-star hotel, restaurants, a wellness retreat, and nightclubs. If it passes, the project would reportedly open in about four years.

Jay-Z Casino

However, Jay-Z’s casino idea did not find many fans in Broadway, and many residents and local businesses opposed the move as well. On Friday (July 25), a collective known as the No Times Square Casino coalition – comprised of various community groups and neighborhood organizations – gathered at Father Duffy Square to protest against the project.

“This casino’s developers don’t care about improving this neighborhood,” Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League, remarked according to Broadway World. “They are looking to profit on the backs of residents, local businesses, and the theater workers, producers, and owners who have brought us back from the pandemic.”

“Caesars Palace Times Square will deliver more than $250 million in community benefits to businesses in Times Square and the residents of Hell’s Kitchen, as well as 9,000 new good-paying union jobs for New Yorkers,” Caesars Palace expressed in a statement.