Dive Brief:
- Hyatt Hotels has entered a letter of intent to operate a Destination by Hyatt hotel at The Avenir, a mixed-use entertainment complex proposed for Manhattan’s Far West Side, according to a Wednesday news release.
- The luxury hotel would offer 1,000 rooms and suites, serving convention demand from the nearby Javits Center, according to the development team, Silverstein Properties, Rush Street Gaming and Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment.
- The hotel would also cater to casino-goers at the mixed-use project if it obtains state gaming rights, something multiple operators are vying for — but only a few will get — in downstate New York.
Dive Insight:
Destination by Hyatt joins The Avenir amid the project’s battle to gain one of three highly coveted gambling licenses that are up for grabs in downstate New York.
The mixed-use project is up against several competitors vying for the licenses, including Resorts World New York City’s proposed $5 billion development.
Wynn Resorts, along with developers Related Cos. and Oxford Properties, were previously in the running with their $12 billion Hudson Yards West project. However, the team dropped their casino bid last month, CoStar reported.
If awarded an operating license, The Avenir would “generate substantial fiscal benefits for New York City and New York State, fostering economic growth with new jobs during construction and operation, and attracting new visitors, bolstering financial support for local businesses, and improving neighborhood safety,” according to the development team.
Beyond the hotel component, The Avenir would offer a first-class casino, more than 12 restaurants and bars, conference and meetings space, a spa and fitness center, an outdoor pool and a boutique entertainment venue, according to the project’s website. The property would also have a food hall featuring local entrepreneurs and restaurateurs, per the developers.
The Destination by Hyatt hotel suites would offer high-quality finishes and floor-to-ceiling glass windows with sweeping views of the New York City skyline, the development team detailed.
The project would create nearly 5,000 permanent hotel and casino jobs, to be performed by union workers, according to the development team.
Hyatt joins Silverstein’s bid just days before the June 27 casino license application deadline.
Following the deadline, Community Advisory Committees will be created to review the applications, gauge local support and ultimately determine if there is adequate support for the proposed projects to move forward. Applicants approved by their CAC will be asked to submit supplemental application material to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which is expected to make final approval decisions by Dec. 1.
