Mets owner Steve Cohen on Tuesday released more details about his plan to build a casino on the city-owned parking lot surrounding Citi Field, although he still needs the state legislature to approve so-called park land alienation to start any construction.
New Green Willets LLC, Cohen’s lobbying firm, has officially unveiled “Metropolitan Park,” an $8 billion vision for the 50 acres of parking lots surrounding Citi Field. The designs were influenced by months of community meetings, the group wrote in the release. They are partnering with Hard Rock International, owner of restaurants and casinos around the world, as well as the SHoP Architects and Field Operations for landscape design.
The developers want to build a hotel with restaurants and bars, add a live music venue, and also note they plan to build a casino – “subject to Gaming Commission license.”
The site will also still include 20 acres of public park land.
Cohen is set to submit a formal public notice for a scoping hearing, reviewing environmental and economic impact, for the casino plans on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the team owner confirmed to THE CITY.
The blueprint comes after months of public “visioning sessions” and the statement from Cohen and crew included support from community leaders, who touted economic opportunities.
“We have the opportunity to turn the 50 acres of asphalt around Citi Field, right across the creek from downtown Flushing, into things we need,” Peter Tu, a senior advisor to the Flushing Chinese Business Association, said in the release.
State officials could dole out up to three new licenses for casinos in the southern parts of New York, which includes New York City, Long Island and Westchester County.
Other organizations and companies vying for the license include Genting Group’s Resorts World in Ozone Park, Queens, and a proposal from SL Green Realty Corp. to build a casino in Times Square — backed hip-hop luminaries like Jay-Z and Fat Joe. Vornado recently backed out of its plans to build a casino near Penn Station.
Cohen’s casino dreams in Flushing still need state authorization to hand over the land since it’s technically a park. Assemblymember Jeff Aubry (D-Queens) has introduced a related bill, specifically naming Cohen’s New Green Willets lobbying group.
But that bill requires matching legislation from the area’s representative in the State Senate, Democrat Jessica Ramos — who has said she needs to hear more from the community before introducing anything.
The stall in Albany hasn’t stopped the Mets from moving forward with development plans.
19 comments:
Lets hope they bar spandex wearing NRA activists.
The traffic is not bad enough already in that area!
Yeah right.
Spoon feed us and the jackass NYC Council more shit and tell us its a meal.
All those shops will go straight into corporate.
The so called "concert venue" will go straight into the Live Nation cartels hands.
All non "Live Nation" bands and local workers and technical people aside the local mobbed up IATSE will be locked out, concert tickets $300-$5000 via Ticketbastard, --no ticket windows.
$200,000 corporate booths, $35+ parking, this shit will be only for the rich. This will end up doing absolutely nothing for the locals or local economy.
Having worked in the entertainment industry both as an engineer and artist I know all about ALL of these bastards and shenanigans.
Lying cheating underhanded SCUMBAGS every one of them !!
This was all once called Monopoly and illegal!!
I believe that lot is also public land !!!!
This idea must be culled at all costs.
-Joe
Since when did baseball become a sport?
It’s no more exciting than synchronized swimming.
@“ The traffic is not bad enough already in that area”
Are you some kind of anti car, bike zealot?
Steve Cohen could be a hero and restore those 50 acres to the park. Instead he’s just another greedy capitalist’s with the who didn’t listen much to all those people whose opinions he invited
The All Dem Uni-Party City/State allowed this to happen.
It is park land, period.
End of story.
Fuck Cohen!
He is just another wannabee Wilpon wanting to give us another real estate nightmare.
#TDS is an incurable disease.
His argument all along is that he doesn't need the parking lot. That's a lie, with the Met's, concerts and other big events cars park in the lot and all over areas of Flushing Meadow Park. There are also plans for a soccer stadium, where will the parking be for that? The latest word from Cohen now is that he is saying he will build a parking garage near his casino. He has Citi Field, we don't want a casino, hotel and a restaurant in our park.
"Since when did baseball become a sport?
It’s no more exciting than synchronized swimming."
You sound like a soccer fan. 88 minutes of total boredom and two minutes of excitement per half.
Anyway, who cares about Flushing. It's Chinatown Jake. Chinese LOVE living pilled on top of one another in bugman housing. And they love gambling so a casino is perfect.
This proposed gaming facility will only accelerate the down fall of New York....Casinos draw marginal types at best.
@"His argument all along is that he doesn't need the parking lot."
If ya want free car storage, move to a communist country.
Voracious governments will legalize everything and anything to grab money. Leave while you can still afford to move.
The vice economy will benefit some ,but in the end communities will pay the price.
Look at Atlantic City....
Wonder which politicians were looking forward to their kickback from the deal ?
@"The All Dem Uni-Party City/State allowed this to happen."
So, what do you want to happen? You want it to rot? Turn it to a park for communists? Turn it to free car storage for socialists? Build a chemical factory? Landing pad for spaceships?
Sounds like you just want to whine and complain like a little spoiled child.
@"#TDS is an incurable disease."
Retardation is also an incurable disease.
Landing pad for spaceships? Good idea Troll....
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