We, the residents and business owners of Murray Hill, strongly object to the proposed construction of a casino at 686 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016. That’s 38th to 40th Streets between the FDR and First Avenue, in the heart of our neighborhood!

Our area has 6 high-rise condominiums, Tudor City - a large cooperative development with ~5,000 residents, several mid-rise cooperatives, rental buildings, charming walk-ups, historic brownstones, the United Nations (UN) headquarters and a primary school in the immediate vicinity of the proposed casino site. This is a family-friendly and neighborly community with playgrounds and dog parks. Residents can safely cycle and jog along the East River Esplanade, walk their dogs, sit on tree-shaded benches to enjoy a coffee and eat at our neighborhood cafes and restaurants. 

First Avenue, the main approach to the earmarked plot, is the thoroughfare for 5 hospitals – NYU, New York Presbyterian, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Beth Israel the VA Campus and their various offshoot health care facilities. These hospitals have emergency care units which need clear roads for emergency vehicles to transport patients — lives depend on this. A large number of doctors live in our neighborhood who need to be able to reach their patients with minimum travel time. This area is poorly serviced in terms of public transport with only one bus route along First Avenue (M15, M15 SBS) and the East River Ferry. Congestion and honking during rush hours along First, Second and Third Avenues, not to mention the Queens Midtown Tunnel, is horrendous. The weekend exodus to Long Island and the Hamptons in the warmer months adds another layer of chaos.

The UN hosts several high-level meetings year-round but especially becomes a high security zone with mobilized special units and command centers each September during the 2-week United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA is a National Special Security Event with roughly 140 heads of state, senior diplomats, their aides and members of the US Secret Service descending on the UN building, diplomatic missions and into our neighborhood. The exit ramp of the FDR Drive near the UN building and 42nd Street between First and Third Avenues is closed to regular traffic for the duration of the main session. There is heavy police, counterterrorism and US Secret Service presence. Large sections of our area are blocked off to vehicular and foot traffic during VIP movements including the motorcade of the President of the United States.

Families with children of all ages live within a half-mile radius of this potential casino. The River School PS 281, attended by 500 neighborhood children, is about 500 feet from the casino site. The United Nations International School (UNIS), where children of UN staff members study, is under a 5-minute drive. Children live, play and walk to school along First Avenue and will definitely cross paths with gamblers and unsavory characters lured by a casino. Their young minds are impressionable and should never be exposed to a vice like gambling. This is why the minimum age to gamble is 21 years.

Lastly, our neighborhood is serviced by several small businesses that have already been negatively hit by COVID-19 and inflation. These family-owned delis, restaurants, diners, local bars; coffee, flower and gift shops have all been an integral part of our community. The last thing they need is crime and late-night drunks damaging their footfall. Casinos are meant to keep patrons inside to continue gambling so there will be no benefit for surrounding businesses as their patrons will not be going to the neighborhood stores.

For these reasons and more, the building of a casino by the Soloviev Group in partnership with Mohegan will be detrimental to the safety, peace, tranquility and smooth functioning of our neighborhood. The spike in traffic and criminal activities typically associated with gambling will far outweigh any gains in jobs and taxes. It will permanently change the vibe of our beloved and historic Murray Hill neighborhood beyond recognition and for the worse. 

We urge you to join the campaign against this very real possibility and save our neighborhood!