The final downstate New York casino proposal unanimously passed a key vote Tuesday in Queens.
The $8 billion proposal from New York Mets’ owner Steve Cohen would transform a 50-acre parking lot around Citi Field into a sports and entertainment complex known as Metropolitan Park.
Developers have said the project will bring 23,000 union jobs and provide 25 acres of public park space.
“This is a historic moment for The World’s Borough, as we take another critical step forward in boosting the economic vitality and cultural vibrancy of Northwest Queens with Metropolitan Park,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said in a statement. “As the cost of living continues to rise, this consequential project will create more than 20,000 good-paying union jobs, unlocking new levels of upward mobility for historically marginalized families across Corona, Flushing, East Elmhurst and beyond.”
Now that it passed a local Community Advisory Committee (CAC), it advances to the state’s Gaming Commission.
Metropolitan Park issued the following statement: “The Community Advisory Committee’s unanimous approval underscores the deep and broad community support behind Metropolitan Park. We are grateful for the opportunity to move forward in this process and be one step closer to making Metropolitan Park’s community-first vision a reality.”
Flushing residents split on casino plans
Reaction in the area was mixed.
At Corona Plumbing just down Roosevelt Avenue, staff members were excited.
“The tennis courts, the soccer stadium, the baseball, I think it’s going to be a center. I think it will be great,” owner Paul Ferreira said.
“I think the CAC listened to the concerns, weighed the pros and cons, and it did its job,” said Sen. Joseph Addabbo, chair of the Senate Gaming Committee.
He insists the vote captures the will of the people, following impassioned testimony at a recent hearing.
But others call the vote a betrayal of the very community the plan claims to benefit. They say the casino will extract wealth from vulnerable neighbors and drive housing prices up.
“My biggest fear about the casino, definitely first and foremost, is the displacement it’s going to cause in Flushing. Flushing is a majority immigrant, working-class neighborhood,” said Echo Chen, with the Flushing Workers Center.
Members of the Flushing Workers Center said there’s still time to make their voices heard. They passed out anti-casino flyers to onlookers, with some learning about the casino for the first time.
“The bosses who want to build a casino, they are basically taking our money into their pocket. We are doing this to oppose the casino for our next generation,” Flushing resident Qiu Baojin said in Chinese.
Where things stand with N.Y. casino proposals
A total of eight proposals are competing for three downstate casino licenses. Three in Manhattan have been rejected, while the ones in Yonkers and Queens were cleared to move forward.
On Monday, a proposal from Bally’s in the Bronx also got the green light, but another in Coney Island was voted down.
Community Advisory Committee votes on downstate casinos:
Times Square – RejectedHudson Yards – RejectedFederal Plaza – RejectedYonkers – AdvancedOzone Park, Queens – AdvancedThe Bronx – AdvancedConey Island – Rejected Willets Point, Queens – Advanced
A final decision on the licenses is expected in December.
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