The New York state Senate voted 54-5 May 27 to approve the rezoning of 50 acres of parkland near Citi Field in Queens, clearing the way for Mets owner Steve Cohen to develop his $8 billion Metropolitan Park proposal.
The rezoning was approved by the state Assembly earlier this year, and it now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk for final approval.
Cohen and partner Hard Rock International seem to have catapulted themselves to a frontrunner position for one of three downstate New York casino licenses, due to be handed out by the end of the year. While there’s no guarantee that Hochul will approve the rezoning, Cohen is a major donor to the state’s Democratic Committee, led by Hochul.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, whose district includes much of the Citi Field site, has long opposed the project and refused to champion legislation for it. However, Sen. John Liu introduced it instead, and Ramos acknowledged earlier this year that she may not be able to block its passage despite her opposition.
“This is not about a building or a parcel of parkland,” Ramos told Gothamist following the Senate vote. “It’s about power. It’s about whether communities like mine are treated as partners or as pawns.”
All told, Cohen and partners over the last two years spent more than $3 million in lobbying efforts in the lead-up to the vote, per Gothamist. Their proposal is one of eight considered in the running for a casino license, with their applications due in June.
“After years of community engagement, thousands of conversations, and the leadership of our local elected officials, we are one step closer to transforming these asphalt lots into something our neighbors can truly be proud of,” Cohen said in a statement.
