William Bratton led the Los Angeles and New York police departments, an achievement that no other officer has ever made in the United States. He also worked as the Boston Police Department's commissioner and played a key role in the New York Police Department (NYPD) in two stints; between January 1994 and April 1996, and from January 2014 to September 2016.
Bratton recently stated that Times Square will be a major tourism destination if a casino will be constructed in the area. He is among the most respected officers in the country and President Donald Trump appointed him in 2020 to chair the Homeland Security Advisory Council.
It is an executive presidential office and Bratton is a Democrat who currently works in Washington, DC. He is strengthening ties between Boston and New York City.
The former police commissioner declared his support for a Times Square casino after SL Green, a leading realtor in Manhattan, disclosed their casino resort plan while partnering with Caesars Entertainment. The two parties want to transform a Time Square skyscraper at 1515 Broadway into a casino. It currently hosts MTV and Viacom.
Comish Casino
New York had a 2013 legislative package that allowed commercial gambling. The bill permitted seven brick-and-mortar casinos with sports gambling, table games, and slot machines. Upstate New York has four licenses and the rest are for downstate New York including the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and the five boroughs.
The 2013 gaming legislation halted providing the three downstate licenses for a decade to offer the four upstate gaming operators a free initial operating time frame without downstate competition. Bratton explained in a recent New York Daily News op-ed why he supported SL Green and Caesars' Time Square casino bid.
He stated that "The Crossroads of the World" had soaring crime rates during the Coronavirus pandemic as some retail stores and office buildings shut down. Bratton believes that crime has hindered the tourism industry from recovering and a casino project can change things. But, the vice can adversely affect the region's economy if it remains unchecked since film diehards and tourists will avoid it.
Commercial office employees will hesitate to return to a dangerous commute. Gaming properties are known to have high-security operations. Thus, Bratton believes that the casino project will increase Time Square's security for a long period.
What Is His Motivating Factor?
Bratton revealed that he might benefit financially from backing the casino bid. He hired Teneo, a famous advisory firm and global consulting firm in New York City to devise ways in which the casino's construction will improve the neighborhood's security.
The former police commissioner started serving as Teneo's Risk Advisory Division's executive chair in 2017. He stated that SL Green and Caesars will invest more than $85 million in a private/public security initiative once they get a downstate gaming license.
The new security measures will cover between Eighth and Sixth avenues from 53rd Street to 40th Street. Still, the investment will increase security personnel and their presence. They will protect local workers from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
