Saks Fifth Avenue has finally tipped its hand, confirming plans to use for a casino license on the highest floors of its flagship store on Fifth Avenue.
A luxury department store between East forty ninth and East fiftieth Streets, next to St. Patryk, shared exclusive photos of the casino that can bring high rollers to the style house to The Post.
The renders show stylishly dressed diners sitting at roulette tables, swanky bars and upholstered chairs clinking cocktails. They enter the constructing through a separate red carpet entrance that opens onto the walkway and opens onto a vast lobby with quite a few chandeliers and plush decorative rugs.
The casino will span three floors, starting on the ninth, where waiters can be wearing black ties and handing out glasses of champagne to players, said Richard Baker, executive chairman and CEO of HBC, the Toronto-based company that owns Saks. Post.
“The casino in Saks will attract a wealthy tourist from all around the world, and it doesn’t prey on individuals who mustn’t be in casinos,” Baker said.
He said since last 12 months, when the state announced it might issue three recent licenses for Las Vegas-style casinos within the metropolitan region, Baker has been developing a plan.
“We’ve got been quietly working with community groups including Broadway theaters, retailers and [elected officials] and we have now a lot of support for a different sort of casino in Latest York,” Baker said.
A part of his presentation is that Fifth Avenue desperately needs an attraction that can increase foot traffic on the long-lasting shopping avenue, especially at night when stores open their doors.
“All of us who live in Latest York City have seen a decline in activity on Fifth Avenue, which is some of the treasured attractions within the US and is of great importance to Latest York City,” Baker said.
The exclusive casino will provide lighting, security and activity within the famous corridor, Baker said.
There’s a lot of competition within the 100-year-old store for a useful casino license. Not less than five billionaires are vying for the license for which the apps were recently made available, in accordance with people conversant in the method.
Mets owner Steve Cohen, estate scion Stefan Soloviev, Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis, and Hudson Yards developer Stephen Ross have expressed interest in licensing. Music mogul Jay-Z has also partnered with real estate developer SL Green and Caesars to maneuver the casino to Times Square, which is opposed by the powerful Broadway League.
![Casino interior rendering](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/saks-wants-nyc-casino-533.jpg?w=1024)
In keeping with Baker, a coterie of influential groups, including a powerful hotel union, supports the plan. He said Broadway theater owners, concerned about a casino competing for tourists’ dollars, also backed his plan.
Baker declined to comment on whether he would work with any established casino operator.
He estimates that the Saks casino might be in-built a 12 months, unlike competitors who propose recent solutions that may take a few years to finish.
In keeping with Baker, the stylish Saks casino can be just like the one within the James Bond movie “Casino Royale”.
“They’ve posh casinos in Monte Carlo, so why not in Manhattan,” Baker said. “Why would Manhattan have one other sloppy casino. … We’d like spectacular ones.”