By Robert Hornak
In the contest to receive one of the three casino licenses that the state Gaming Commission is going to award later this year, the partnership between Steve Cohen and Hardrock to bring a casino as part of the Metropolitan Park project next to Citi Field appears to have bested the Wynn-Related Properties effort to build their casino-driven project in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards.
The Hudson Yards project died when strong local opposition led to Wynn pulling out and forcing Related to completely redesign the project sans casino. That, along with strong local support in Queens has appeared to have cleared the way for the Cohen project.
One of the critical pieces to fall in place was State Senator Mike Gianaris endorsing the project, who was notoriously known as the “Amazon-slayer” for his part in killing the deal that would have brought 25,000 good Amazon jobs into a planned Long Island City headquarters. Gianaris, the Senate Deputy Majority Leader who represents northwest Queens, and Senator John Liu, who represents northeast Queens on the other side of the project, are both signaling strong support that many believe indicates the project is likely to win one of the licenses.
The project’s future is dependent on a bill that would redesignate much of the land around Citi Field as commercial property. While the land the Casino would be built on is currently designated parkland, it is not actually a park, but instead paved land used for stadium parking. This was the area that was formerly called the “Iron Triangle,” the area of Willets Point known for decades as home to junkyards and auto parts businesses and driving through the area was compared to trying to drive on the surface on the moon.
The bill has already passed the Assembly. Passage in the Senate is critical for the project to move forward. Without the redesignation, the license cannot be approved.
Opposition to the project is led by State Senator Jessica Ramos, known for representing Jackson Heights, the most radical, left-leaning neighborhood in Queens, and by happenstance has much of the resident-free land in question drawn into her district. Ramos claims that her constituents oppose the project. And considering the love Jackson Heights residents have for bicycle paths and car-free streets, that’s not hard to believe.
There is also opposition from editorial writers who remain stuck in the past looking at casino’s only as businesses that exploit the addictions or aspirations of the poor who can’t be trusted to make their own choices without these crusaders for the public good to protect them.
One editorial in a major daily actually tried to equate Metropolitan Park to illegal weed shops and the push to legalize sex work. They talk about the “bad element” these activities attract, completely ignoring that Metropolitan Park won’t be some seedy, secret back room gambling establishment (which can easily be found for those who prefer that environment) but rather a major attraction that will include high-end restaurants, shopping, meeting and event facilities, a movie theater and performance space, along with additional parkland including along the beautiful Flushing waterfront.
That’s not to mention the businesses that will benefit in the surrounding neighborhoods. Additional cruise businesses are likely to sail from Flushing, and local restaurants, many known for being some of the best in the city, including a number recognized by the famed Michelin guide, will no doubt benefit from the additional patronage from tourists and weekend party-seekers who would normally take those dollars to Manhattan.
Metropolitan Park is the $8 billion project that Queens has been looking for ever since the World’s Fair. It brings thousands of high-paying construction jobs followed by thousands of permanent good-paying unionized jobs with benefits. But more importantly, it will transform north Queens into a major entertainment and dining destination to compete with Atlantic City, Las Vegas, many Caribbean islands, and the numerous tribal casinos all over the region.
And, for those more concerned with bicycle paths, this brings thousands of good jobs out of Manhattan, making them accessible to the local residents by – you guessed it – bicycle paths.
Robert Hornak is a veteran political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @RobertHornak on X.
