The Empire Room was a front that can be extorted in New York, legally owned by Esther Moreno, yet racketed by Carmine Rosato's family. Following Dominic's rise to the position of Don of New York, he and his made men took over the Empire Room, further enraging Rosato and causing him to attempt an assassination.
The Empire Room was later used as the location for a meeting between the Corleones and Senator Pat Geary as part of a blackmail plot.
"The Empire Room has only one entrance-the front door. The electrical box and gas main, however, are extremely accessible because they are attached to the building's right exterior wall. Inside the Empire Room is a bar that can be set on fire to intimidate the proprietor."