New York City: Jay-Z sweetens pot on Times Square casino bid with $250M in proposed grants to Hell’s Kitchen

Monday, September 23, 2024 3:41 PM
Photo:  SL Green (courtesy)
  • Ian Mohr, New York Post

Jay-Z is looking to sweeten the pot on his Times Square casino bid.

The rap icon and Roc Nation will commit more than $250 million in grant money for Hell’s Kitchen if they land the bid to create a Caesars Palace Times Square casino, Page Six has learned.

The hip hop mogul’s Roc Nation-led group would give an initial $15 million to the local community — plus regular grants based on .5% of the casino’s performance.

The Caesars Palace Times Square team has already met with residents of Manhattan Plaza — the famed affordable housing development for artists — to clue them in on the potential benefits, we hear.

Jay-Z said in a statement announcing the grant initiative: “We are New Yorkers. Supporting and providing opportunities for our neighborhoods and community isn’t just a part of Roc Nation’s ethos… it’s our collective responsibility.”