Billionaire baseball owner Steve Cohen and his Queens Future group took another step toward putting a casino complex adjacent to Citi Field. On March 11, the New York City Council and its Land Use Committee approved a series of proposals that would allow for a zoning change for the area from its “parkland” status. A series of local community boards have also already backed the changes.
The next step will be for Mayor Eric Adams to sign off on the changes.
But local approval does not ensure that the project can move forward. The group still needs a parkland alienation bill from the state legislature, which state Senator Jessica Ramos has consistently said she will oppose, and also needs to be awarded a casino license by the state.
In partnership with Hard Rock International, Cohen is one of 11 bidders for a downstate New York casino license. The New York State Gaming Commission’s Facility Location Board is tasked with vetting bids and is to issue licenses by the end of 2025. Bids are due June 27.
The proposed $8 billion project, called Metropolitan Park, would convert 50 acres of parking lot into an integrated casino destination. In addition to a casino, it is to include 25 acres of parkland, retail shops and restaurants, a food hall and improved and expanded bike paths and roads. The Mets-Willets Point subway station would also get a makeover.
Competition for three downstate casino licenses has been fierce. Major casino companies including Bally’s, Caesars, Resorts World and Wynn are in the mix. All bidders must get local approval before submitting proposals to the Facility Location Board, and some, like Cohen’s project, require variances. The frontrunners for licensing appear to be the Genting Group and MGM Resorts International, which operate the Aqueduct and Yonkers horse racetracks, respectively. That will leave one license for the remaining nine bidders.
The Genting Group is bidding to upgrade and expand its Resorts World New York City location at Aqueduct. The company has plans to build a 350,000-square-foot casino floor, which would be the biggest in the world. In addition, Genting would add additional hotel rooms, 3,000 affordable housing units, an entertainment venue and upgraded food-and-beverage options.
MGM Resorts International is bidding to expand the existing racino at Yonkers into an entertainment venue with a Las Vegas-style casino, sportsbook, performance center, new dining options and a parking garage.
