Nas and Queens win casino bid, after Jay-Z’s Times Square plan was rejected [VIDEO]
Queens Scores Big: Nas and Resorts World NYC Casino Moves Forward
This afternoon (September 25), Queens Borough President Donovan Richards confirmed what many had anticipated but few expected to hear framed in such colorful terms. The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) voted 6-0 in favor of Nas and Resorts World NYC’s ambitious $5 billion casino expansion plan. The decisive approval positions Southeast Queens as the next major gaming hub in New York City. Also, it brings the borough to the center of a heated competition for three highly coveted downstate casino licenses.
The CAC’s approval wasn’t just about economics—it also carried cultural weight. Richards seized the moment by invoking hip-hop’s longest-running rivalry, quipping, “Queens get the money. Sorry Jay-Z, we win again.” The jab at Jay-Z, whose Times Square casino proposal was rejected just days earlier, underscored both borough pride and the unlikely evolution of the legendary Nas-Jay-Z feud into the arena of billion-dollar development projects.
Beyond the playful shade, the committee’s approval marked a significant leap forward for Resorts World NYC. The expansion, which promises 350,000 square feet of gaming space and a projected opening in July 2026, stands to become one of the largest casino complexes in the United States.
What the Project Promises for Queens
The proposed expansion of Resorts World NYC is more than a flashy casino. Additionally, it’s a project that promises to transform the economic landscape of Southeast Queens. With plans to add 1,600 hotel rooms, a 7,000-seat entertainment arena, retail outlets, and cultural programming guided by Nas himself. So, the development carries both economic and symbolic weight.
Projections estimate the casino could generate over $1 billion annually in tax revenue while creating 7,000 permanent jobs. The proposal also includes dedicated funding for local housing, education, and infrastructure improvements. These are points that resonated deeply with the committee members. For a borough often overshadowed by Manhattan and Brooklyn, the approval represents a major step toward asserting economic independence.
In the broader narrative of New York City’s recovery from the pandemic, the project is pitched as a stabilizer. Tourism numbers are still rebounding, and new attractions like the Queens casino are designed to spread economic opportunity across boroughs, rather than concentrating it in Manhattan’s core.
The Fall of Jay-Z’s Times Square Dream
The excitement surrounding Queens’ victory is heightened by the sting of Jay-Z’s defeat just one week earlier. Jay-Z’s Roc Nation partnered with Caesars Entertainment, SL Green Realty, and Live Nation to propose a $2.6 billion casino in Times Square. The plan promised over $250 million in community investment for Hell’s Kitchen. However, it faced heavy opposition.
Broadway theater unions, local residents, and cultural preservationists criticized the proposal, arguing that adding a massive casino to one of the world’s busiest tourist districts would disrupt the area’s character. On September 17, the Times Square CAC rejected the bid with a 4-2 vote, ending Jay-Z’s hopes of bringing a casino to the heart of Manhattan.
For critics, the rejection was a victory for cultural preservation over unchecked development. For Jay-Z’s supporters, however, it was a missed opportunity to crown him as the city’s first Black casino operator in its most famous district.
Nas vs. Jay-Z: A Rivalry Reinvented
While the Queens vote was officially about zoning, taxes, and development, Richards’ remark ensured it also carried echoes of hip-hop history. Nas and Jay-Z’s feud dominated the early 2000s with legendary diss tracks like “Takeover” and “Ether.” However, it was formally squashed in 2005. Yet, cultural memory is long, and any reference to one artist’s “win” over the other still resonates with fans.
For Nas, aligning himself with Queens’ economic future solidifies his hometown hero status. He has often spoken about representing Queensbridge, one of the largest public housing developments in the country, and this casino project symbolizes his transformation from rap icon to business leader.
Jay-Z, by contrast, has built his reputation on expanding into business ventures beyond music—champagne, sports management, real estate, and streaming platforms. Losing this casino bid, particularly after Nas’s success, reignites a rivalry that many believed belonged solely to the history books.
Economic Stakes in the Casino Race
The Resorts World NYC expansion is one of three casino projects currently under review for downstate licenses. Alongside it stands MGM’s Empire City Casino in Yonkers, which has already been greenlit for a full casino conversion. That leaves one license still up for grabs, with Coney Island’s bid emerging as the next battleground.
The sheer scale of Nas’s project distinguishes it from the rest. At 350,000 square feet, it dwarfs most existing casinos in the region and carries the potential to reshape not just the local economy but also New York’s positioning in the national gaming industry. By contrast, Jay-Z’s Times Square plan was seen as a gamble—both literally and figuratively—on one of the busiest intersections in the world.
Jay-Z’s proposal faltered under public scrutiny. Meanwhile, Resorts World’s plan benefited from being an expansion of an already established site in South Ozone Park. The infrastructure, community ties, and track record of Resorts World NYC gave it an advantage that brand-new projects simply couldn’t match.
Political and Cultural Theater at the Vote
Donovan Richards’ viral quip wasn’t just entertainment. It was also political theater. By invoking Nas and shading Jay-Z, Richards tapped into the cultural consciousness of both Queens and hip-hop fans worldwide. In an age where political soundbites often trend online, Richards’ comment guaranteed the CAC vote reached far beyond the walls of Borough Hall.
For Queens residents, the remark symbolized borough pride. For the hip-hop community, it re-opened old debates. As a result, spawning memes, tweets, and jokes about the never-ending Nas vs. Jay-Z rivalry. The fact that a multimillion-dollar decision could be framed in terms of a rap beef demonstrates how deeply hip-hop culture is intertwined with New York’s civic identity.
It also reflects a shift in how political leaders engage constituents. Rather than sticking to dry policy language, Richards made the moment memorable. Thus, boosting both his profile and the borough’s win on a national stage.
Public Reaction: Celebrations, Critiques, and Memes
On X, reactions to the vote and Richards’ comment poured in quickly. Nas fans celebrated it as yet another victory for their rap icon. Therefore, crowning him the “marathon man” for continuing to rack up wins decades into his career. Hashtags like #QueensGetTheMoney and #NasWins trended locally, amplifying borough pride.
Jay-Z’s supporters pushed back, noting that comparing the bids wasn’t entirely fair since Resorts World was an existing casino while Times Square was a brand-new project. Others argued that Richards’ jab was unnecessary, preferring to focus on the policy over the shade.
Beyond the rap rivalry, critics of gambling itself raised concerns about addiction and inequality. Yet, even those voices acknowledged that if a casino were to be built, Queens was arguably better positioned than Times Square to handle the economic and social impact. Memes, of course, dominated much of the conversation—featuring everything from Nas’s “Ether” bars to GIFs of Jay-Z shaking his head.
What Comes Next for Queens and Nas
With the CAC’s approval in hand, the Resorts World NYC expansion now heads to the New York State Gaming Commission for final review. If approved, construction could begin in 2026 with the casino slated to open by 2028. For Nas, it marks another chapter in his evolution from hip-hop legend to business mogul, intertwining his legacy with the economic future of Queens.
The project’s success would not only reshape Southeast Queens but also highlight the role of cultural icons in shaping urban development. Nas’s involvement adds authenticity and local pride to a project that might otherwise be seen as just another corporate gamble.
For Jay-Z, the rejection stings but is unlikely to halt his broader business empire. Still, the optics of losing to Nas—again—revive a rivalry that remains one of the most iconic in hip-hop history. Whether petty or profound, the Queens victory illustrates how culture, politics, and economics intersect in modern New York.