Queens at Center of NYC Casino Expansion Push

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York’s long-running push to bring full-scale casinos to the five boroughs cleared a major hurdle on December 1 after the state Gaming Facility Location Board officially approved all three downstate proposals. The selections advance Metropolitan Park near Citi Field, Resorts World New York City at Aqueduct, and Bally’s Bronx at Ferry Point to the final stage of the licensing process. The Gaming Commission is expected to give its final sign-off by Dec. 31.

Officials said the three bids “best advance the state’s long-term economic, fiscal, and community objectives,” positioning New York City for Las Vegas-style table games, hotel towers, and large entertainment venues. The board projected close to $7 billion in gambling tax revenue between 2027 and 2036, on top of $1.5 billion in licensing fees and nearly $6 billion in additional state and local taxes. Resorts World could begin generating revenue as soon as this spring if the commission approves the license, while the other two casinos anticipate opening by 2030.

“From the moment that three downstate casino licenses were authorized in the 2022 State Budget, I have been clear: any approved project must provide real benefits to its community and have sustainable economic plans,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “I am grateful to Chair Been and the Gaming Facility Location Board for their careful review of the applications according to these high standards. The three projects approved today promise to unlock billions in funding for the MTA and create tens of thousands of jobs. It is critical that they keep those promises. I look forward to the Gaming Commission’s review of the Board’s recommendations in the weeks ahead.”

Resorts World New York City, already the state’s highest-grossing gaming site, is slated for a sweeping $5 billion expansion. Since opening in 2011 as the city’s first legal casino, the property has grown into a major economic engine for Queens. Its proposed expansion includes a 350,000-square-foot casino floor, a 1,600-room Crockfords hotel, a 7,000-seat arena, new dining and retail corridors, and more than 10 acres of public green space. The plan also calls for a $50 million Genting Innovation Center and 3,000 units of affordable, union-built housing. Resorts World has framed the project as a long-delayed next chapter that would enhance tourism, support local businesses, and strengthen its community partnerships.

“Queens is on the move. Today’s selections by the New York State Gaming Commission represent an historic moment for our borough and for New York State. By awarding licenses to both Metropolitan Park and Resorts World New York City, the Commission has embraced a vision for Queens as a global destination for culture, sports, and entertainment,” President of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Tom Grech said.

In Flushing, the Metropolitan Park proposal represents an even larger investment. Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International are seeking to build an $8 billion casino resort and entertainment district beside Citi Field. The project became viable only after Albany approved legislation allowing state parkland around the stadium to be developed. The plan includes a hotel, performance venues, new public spaces, and the Flushing Skypark, a pedestrian and bicycle bridge meant to connect Willets Point with downtown Flushing. Supporters say the Skypark would provide new recreation areas and help close infrastructure gaps in one of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods.

Despite those promises, the Metropolitan Park proposal has fueled some of the strongest community opposition seen in the casino process. Residents and advocacy groups say a casino would worsen housing pressures, increase traffic congestion, and divert public land away from immigrant and working-class communities. Nearly a thousand Queens residents rallied in Flushing on Nov. 16, urging State Sen. John Liu to withdraw his support for the authorizing legislation. Many said they first learned of the proposal only months earlier and criticized what they described as a public outreach process that excluded the neighborhoods most affected.

The Flushing Workers Center condemned the state board’s decision to advance the Metropolitan Park casino, calling it an attack on working-class immigrant communities. The group accused state leaders of enabling billionaire Steve Cohen to profit from vulnerable residents and warned that the casino would fuel addiction, crime, and displacement while extracting revenue from those least able to afford it. The Center announced a Dec. 14 protest and urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject the license, while thanking Sen. Jessica Ramos for opposing the project. They argued that if casinos are deemed unsuitable for Manhattan and Brooklyn, Queens should not be targeted either.

Environmental organizations have also raised alarms, arguing the plan would privatize significant portions of public parkland and fail to address long-standing climate resilience issues around Flushing Creek and Flushing Bay. Community groups say they are concerned about the risk of displacement and the potential social impacts of placing a high-capacity gambling complex between Flushing, Corona, Jackson Heights, and East Elmhurst.

The three casino approvals mark one of the final steps in a process that once drew more than a dozen bidders. With only three remaining projects under review and three licenses available, observers had widely expected the board to advance the full slate. The Gaming Commission now has the final word. If it approves the recommendations at the end of the month, New York City will move closer to becoming one of the largest casino markets in the United States.

Queens Cat Rescue Holds Adoption Day

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Timber’s Legacy drew families, pet owners and curious passersby to Juniper Valley Park on Nov. 29 for a post-Thanksgiving cat adoption event that doubled as a community outreach effort. The three-hour event, held near the basketball courts on 80th Street, featured the North Shore Animal League’s adoption van and a lineup of rescued cats looking for new homes. For the Middle Village–based organization, the afternoon was an opportunity not only to place animals with adopters but to remind residents just how many cats across the city continue to face neglect, abandonment or time in overcrowded shelters.

The nonprofit was founded in 2012 by Middle Village resident Patricia Fessmann, who named the rescue after her dog Timber. Fessmann said her lifelong commitment to animals grew into a formal organization after Timber died, prompting her to take the rescue work she had always done independently and turn it into something more structured. Timber’s Legacy soon became a 501(c)(3) and a New Hope partner with New York City Animal Care and Control, which allows the rescue to pull cats from the city’s euthanasia list and provide them with foster placement and long-term care.

Fessmann said the need for rescue work became clear years ago, when her own search for a cat led her to the Brooklyn ACC. She remembered being overwhelmed by the number of cats waiting in cages and the sense of how many would be left behind. “It kind of broke my heart,” she said. That moment pushed her deeper into organized rescue work, and it remains a guiding reason behind Timber’s Legacy’s mission to help cats who have already lived through uncertainty.

While the group once operated out of an adoption venue at the Stop and Shop mall, it shifted its setup after the location closed two and a half years ago. Timber’s Legacy now partners with North Shore Animal League, which provides access to a mobile adoption van. The shift has allowed the organization to continue holding regular events without a brick-and-mortar shelter. Timber’s Legacy is completely foster-based, and its cats live in private homes until they meet adopters. Fessmann said the organization typically cares for around 20 to 30 cats at a time, although capacity depends entirely on how many fosters are available.

“Fosters are everything,” she said. “All of our cats are kept in home environments until they’re adopted. They’re only in cages when they’re at an event like this.” One current intake is temporarily boarding at the group’s veterinary clinic while a foster home is arranged, but Fessmann noted that the goal is always to get cats into stable home settings as quickly as possible.

The cats on site at Juniper Valley Park represented a mix of backgrounds, including abandoned house pets, friendly strays and animals who recently came from the city’s euthanasia list. Among them was a mother cat with five young kittens and an older daughter, all of whom were rescued as a family. Fessmann said several visitors expressed interest in adopting, though holiday timing often slows the adoption process. Even so, the turnout was strong for a chilly weekend, providing the kind of visibility that volunteers say is essential to keep the rescue’s work going.

Volunteer Siobhan Bodt, who has fostered and adopted from Timber’s Legacy over several years, said many people underestimate how many cats live outdoors or cycle through the city’s shelter system without getting adopted. “There’s such a great need, and I don’t think people really know how many cats are outside and suffering or are in Animal Care and Control and not getting adopted,” she said. Events like the one at Juniper Valley Park help bridge that gap by bringing the animals directly to the community. Even when someone is not prepared to adopt immediately, she said, those interactions often inspire future volunteers, fosters or donors.

One of the programs the rescue emphasizes is its foster-to-adopt option, designed for people who want to see how a cat fits into their home before making a full commitment. It is especially helpful for households with older pets or families who are unsure how their routines might mesh with a new animal. Fessmann said many adopters appreciate having that flexibility, and plenty of foster families eventually choose to adopt the cats they care for. “Foster fails,” she said with a laugh, noting how often a temporary arrangement turns into something permanent.

Despite community support, Fessmann said the rescue faces several persistent challenges. Access to affordable spay and neuter services has become limited, and appointments for low-cost vaccines or testing are harder to secure than they were in previous years. Funding also remains a constant concern. Timber’s Legacy relies heavily on donations, as the organization covers all medical costs, food and supplies for its foster families. Fessmann credits her veterinary partner, local supporters and the dedication of volunteers for keeping the rescue operational. “I’ve been blessed,” she said. “I’ve been able to do this only because of the community that surrounds me.”

For Timber’s Legacy, Saturday’s event was a reminder that animal rescue requires both hands-on work and continued awareness. With winter approaching and outdoor cat populations at risk, the organization hopes more residents will consider fostering or donating. And for those searching for a new pet, Fessmann said there is always a cat waiting for a home.

More information about Timber’s Legacy, including adoption applications and ways to support the rescue, can be found at www.timberslegacy.org. The group can be reached at info@timberslegacy.org and is active on Facebook at Facebook.com/TimbersLegacyInc.

Christian Spencer

More than 5,000 people turned out Sunday, November 16, at Citi Field for the sixth New York BagelFest, a festival that started six years ago as a small Brooklyn gathering and now draws competitors from four continents.

Bakers from Madrid, Copenhagen, Honolulu, Seattle, Los Angeles and beyond filled the Heineken Diamond Club at the Mets’ stadium to face off in nine categories, from classic New York style to international and experimental entries.

Founder Sam Silverman set the tone in his award ceremony remarks, saying, “You feed people. You create comfort,” he told the room full of bakers.

“You are creating jobs and [a] community, and what’s more noble than that?”

Hawaii’s Tali’s Bagels, which flew the farthest to compete, won the Rising Star award for newer shops. Bagheza in Manhattan took second place and Backyard Bagel of Seattle came in third.

In the international division, Madrid’s Si Si Bagels and Copenhagen’s Bagel Belly both earned top prizes. A decades-old church kitchen, St. Peter Catholic Church, walked away with the International Award, a result few had predicted.

Knoxville’s Potchke won Best Beyond the Boroughs. New Orleans’ Flour Moon Bagels, with its Creole-influenced approach, took the bialy category.

Ess-a-Bagel claimed Best of the Boroughs, with Utopia Bagels of Queens, last year’s winner, finishing second.

The biggest buzz of the day belonged to Starship Bagel from the Dallas area.

The shop captured Best Showmanship by shipping parbaked bagels from Texas, frozen, and finishing them on site for the judges.

“After winning in 2023 and finishing second in 2024, it felt familiar and yet still incredibly validating,” said founder Oren Saloman. “We did something that’s never been done before. We competed in BagelFest with a frozen bagel. Not out of convenience, but because we’ve developed a bagel-specific parbaking technique that’s a hybrid of two ovens. The winning bagels were made in Texas a week ago, stopped just short of perfection, and then baked off inside Citi Field just in time for the judges to taste them.”

New this year, the BagelFest Growth Lab and Industry Mixer gave up-and-coming makers a platform to learn from veterans and connect with peers.

Silverman said the additions came from listening to the community.

“One of the biggest value adds of BagelFest has always been the exposure it gives bagel makers, and for years we’ve heard from talented shops and artisans who want to be part of the weekend but weren’t yet big enough to exhibit at the full show. The Growth Lab fills that gap. It gives up-and-coming makers with real potential a platform to learn from industry veterans, get hands-on mentorship, and step into the spotlight,” Silverman said.

The Industry Mixer, he added, aimed to spark ideas among isolated bakers.

“Bagel makers rarely get the chance to be in the same room together, and when they are, the conversations spark new ideas. Our goal was to add programming that strengthens the whole ecosystem by facilitating connections,” Silverman said.

Logistics at the sprawling venue tested the team, too.

“It is incredibly complicated to plan an event with exhibitors flying in from all over the world, all trying to serve fresh food that has a short shelf life and has to taste exactly like it does in their home shop,” Silverman said. “Every exhibitor wants to present something that’s true to their brand, and they’re doing it while preparing and serving thousands of samples in record time.”

Silverman credited shared partners like Tiny Drummsticks in Long Island City, plus communal support. “For example, for the past three years, Bagel Market in Manhattan has opened their doors to host Starship Bagel from Dallas, TX. Even though they’re technically competitors at BagelFest, Bagel Market’s generosity goes to show the camaraderie that exists within the bagel community.”

Olga Gonzalez of Pietra Communications, who handled publicity for the event, called bagels one of the few foods that cross every boundary.

“There are a few things in life that universally connect us, and food is one of them,” she said. “Bagels are a comfort food people know and love, and they’re also incredibly versatile. BagelFest is a place for bagel lovers to discover new flavors, and for the industry to come together and share knowledge. At the end of the day, it’s all about community, creativity, and one very delicious carb.”

Looking back, Silverman admitted the scale still surprises him.

What began in 2019 with a handful of local shops has turned into an annual pilgrimage for the country’s, and now the world’s, most ambitious bagel makers.

“Not even close. Back in 2019, I was hoping 100 friends and family would show up, and was completely floored when 300 strangers rolled through. I knew New Yorkers loved bagels, but didn’t realize how deep that love ran, or how hungry people were for a space that celebrated bagel culture the same way other cities celebrate barbecue or beer. Seeing BagelFest fill Citi Field’s Heineken Diamond Lounge is surreal. What started as a small passion project has become a truly global community movement,” he said.

On globalizing the craft, Silverman sees endless potential. “When I started, I thought bagel culture was a New York story. Now I know it’s a global one. The bagel has become a canvas for local identity—these artisans infuse the flavor of their local culture into every bite. Seeing makers from Madrid or Honolulu next to legacy New York shops proves that the bagel has officially gone international, and that excites me. Our role now is to hold the door open and make sure this culture scales with integrity. If BagelFest can be the annual gathering place where these worlds meet, swap ideas, and inspire each other, then we’re doing our job.”

MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Young hockey players swapped pucks for pages of superheroes on November 14 during a Comic Book Trivia Roundtable hosted by Spineworks Comics NYC and Middle Village Players Roller Hockey. The event, held at Spineworks Comics’ Middle Village location, brought together teenagers from the local roller hockey league for an interactive exploration of comic book history, storytelling, and artwork.

“This is not school. There’s no wrong answer. There’s no right answer,” said Paul Pogozelski, addressing the group at the start of the evening.  Participants, mostly teens, eagerly examined comics from different eras, comparing vintage Golden Age titles like Super Boy to modern Spider-Man issues and the Energon Universe series.

Organizers Michael Raphael and Pogozelski guided discussions about the evolution of comics, from early stories that included mail-in offers and advertisements to modern editions with slick graphics and storytelling. The teens debated their favorites: some preferred the detailed, action-filled pages of Superman, while others gravitated toward Spider-Man’s clean layouts and exciting fight sequences.

“Why Superman?” one teen explained. “Because the story made sense and had more action on each page.” Another cited Spider-Man’s placement of ads at the end as a reason for their choice. The participants also explored superheroes’ secret identities, villains, and plot twists, referencing moments from Spider-Man, Superman, and Green Arrow.

Raphael and  Pogozelski encouraged continued reading, suggesting the group could turn the event into a recurring “comic book club” to further engage with comics and support local businesses. Trivia questions, giveaways, and spirited debates kept the teens engaged throughout the evening, while organizers highlighted how comics can inspire creativity, literacy, and critical thinking.

Sponsored by Reading Through Comics, the roundtable emphasized the power of community, intergenerational storytelling, and a shared passion for comic books, leaving participants excited for future sessions.