Exterior view of Hudson Yards, one of many proposed sites for a future casino venue in New York City. (Image: Anthony Behar / Sipa USA)

A new poll commissioned by Friends of the High Line found that the majority of local voters are against a proposed Hudson Yards casino, with most saying that the development would harm New York City’s West Side communities.

Related Companies and Wynn Resorts are partnering on a plan to build a $12 billion casino complex in Hudson Yards, a proposal that is competing for one of three available downstate New York casino licenses. 

Voters Say Casino Would Harm Nearby Communities

Friends of the High Line has been one of the primary groups opposing the casino project. The primary objection is that the massive complex would ruin the experience of the High Line, a 1.5-mile-long elevated park trail that now exists on a former New York Central Railroad line. The park has become popular with both locals and tourists, and opponents of the casino say that the new construction would obstruct the trail’s views of the city. 

According to the survey, which was conducted by Public Policy Polling, 56 percent of West Side voters are opposed to making zoning changes that would allow for the casino project, while only 24 percent are in favor of the project.

In addition, 70 percent of voters say that the development would hurt its neighboring communities, and 53 percent say that they would be less likely to support local elected representatives who supported the casino plan.

“New Yorkers want to see responsible development that respects our existing community commitments,” Friends of the Highline Executive Director Alan van Cappelle said, according to The New York Post. “This polling confirms what we’ve heard from countless residents: the current rezoning proposal threatens not only the High Line’s unique experience but also the community benefits that were promised in 2009.”

The poll surveyed 1,298 voters in West Side districts. The results come with a margin of error of plus/minus 2.7 percent. 

Unions, Developers Slam ‘Elite’ High Line Supporters 

The poll results didn’t sway those in favor of the Hudson Yards complex, including the developers and the Building and Construction Trades Council. The Post reported that the Trades Council is planning a Thursday “We Build” rally in support of the development plan. In the meantime, proponents of the proposed construction didn’t hold back in their criticism of opponents. 

“It is in fact the elite who serve on the High Line Board that do not want development because they believe their sunlight and view are more important than career opportunities,” Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council, wrote in a note to other union groups. 

The developers were even more pointed in their criticism. 

“The Friends of the High Line want to kill jobs, affordable housing, and even a new green, public park – to preserve ‘views’ of an ugly railyard,” a representative for Related told The Post. 

The Hudson Yards proposal would include an 80-story tower for a casino and hotel, along with office buildings, apartment towers, and a 5.6-acre park. The proposal is competing against several other prominent projects that are angling for a downstate New York casino license, including others that have their own share of local opposition, such as New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal and a Times Square casino development from Caesars, Roc Nation, and SL Green.