Queens Casino Plan Gains Favor Among Community Boards
A proposed casino hotel project in Queens, NY recently gained some momentum with five local community boards voting in favor of it.
Queens community boards 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 recently voted in favor of the $8 billion Metropolitan Park project, the sprawling entertainment and park complex pitched by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and tribal gaming giant Hard Rock International. Those votes were small but important steps because the Queens boards were tasked with reviewing the plan under New York’s land review protocols.
The boards focused on two minor though highly relevant zoning changes necessary for Metropolitan Park to advance further in the already intense and convoluted competition for three New York City-area casino licenses.
Cohen needs city approval to upzone the parking lot to a new zoning designation created this year by the city specifically for casinos, and he also needs the city to allow him to de-map a number of streets in the area he wants to build,” reported Jacob Kaye for The Queens Eagle.
Without explanation, Community Board 4 rescheduled its meeting on zoning changes for Metropolitan Park until the middle of December.
Important Steps for Queens Casino Effort
While the community board approvals of the Queens casino plan are small steps, the progress is nonetheless important because it pertains to land use, which has emerged as a major issue in various downstate casino proposals.
Specific to the Cohen/Hard Rock plan, it’s faced opposition from State Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) who represents the area and who doesn’t want to introduce legislation to alter the parkland classification of Willets Point. Cohen and Hard Rock could find alternatives to Ramos-supported legislation, but the fact remains that the community board approvals are steps in the right direction regarding land use issues in Queens.
In addition to parkland alienation legislation, Cohen and Hard Rock need a local advisory community in Queens to sign off on Metropolitan Park for the project to move forward. Those are likely to be issues dealt with in 2025, and they’re vital because New York regulators want applications for the three downstate licenses that are “clean” and unencumbered by environmental and land use challenges.
Following the community board approvals, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards will evaluate Metropolitan Park, but that’s just a procedural step because he’s already spoken positively about the project.
What’s Next for Queens Casino Plan?
The Cohen/Hard Rock plan calls for 25 acres of parkland for public use, including five acres of athletic fields, dining options, a live music venue, enhanced cycle access and roads as well as a $163 million community impact fund.
Supporters of the proposed Queens gaming venue estimate it could create nearly 25K jobs while driving up to $1 billion in local economic benefit.
As is the case with all the downstate casino bids, Metropolitan Park must be reviewed by the City Planning Commission and then the City Council. Those evaluations are likely to take place after Richards signs off on the plan.
The Queens Eagle noted New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) hasn’t overtly endorsed one casino proposal over another, but he does favor the idea of at least one of the three gaming venues being located in one of the five boroughs.
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A proposed casino hotel project in Queens, NY recently gained some momentum with five local community boards voting in favor of it. A rendering of part of Metropolitan Park. Several Queens community boards are backing the casino plan. (Image: Metropolitan Park) Queens community boards 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 recently voted in favor of…