NY Lawmaker Deals Mets Owner a Winning Hand with Parkland Bill for $8 Billion Casino
New Legislation Could Pave The Way For Betting Casino Near Citi Field
Parkland Alienation Bill Sets the Stage
This Sunday, State Senator John Liu introduced a bill that could transfer 50 acres of parking lots near Citi Field from parkland to commercial property, according to several casino news outlets.
This addresses a major obstacle that has held up Steve Cohen’s plan to build an $8 billion entertainment and casino complex. Liu says the development, which includes a High Line-style pedestrian route called the Flushing Skypark, would be part of a larger citywide revitalization project for Queens.
This comes after the New York City Council approved zoning changes that the Mets owner needed for his Metropolitan Park cash casino project. On March 12, the Council’s Land Use Committee voted unanimously to approve the plan, and the next day the full Council voted 41-2 to approve it.
Senator Liu calls this new gaming regulation the key to the whole thing. By converting the parking lots into commercial space, the bill targets one of the biggest legal hurdles to making Cohen’s plan a reality. Right now, this area is, legally, part of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
State Senator John Liu is about to announce that he’s giving Mets owner Steve Cohen a crucial permission to build a casino in Queens. pic.twitter.com/0szl1Ynlv7
— Jacob Kaye (@Jacob_Kaye_) March 30, 2025
Local Opposition
Right now, State Senator Jessica Ramos is Cohen’s biggest political obstacle. Ramos has refused to introduce any parkland alienation legislation tied to cash casinos. Instead, she has championed an alternative called Phoenix Meadows, which emphasizes green spaces.
However, Cohen’s team says the project will add 25 acres of public parks and a $1 billion benefits package for youth programs and infrastructure.
Whether these concessions can overcome Ramos’ stand remains unknown. She calls casinos a “bad bet” for her constituents. Meanwhile Borough President Donovan Richards and others say thousands of union jobs are at stake.
To address local concerns, Liu’s bill ties Cohen to a $100 million investment in the Skypark. But the investment is contingent on a state-issued betting casino license, so the path forward is still uncertain.
A look at the model for Steve Cohen’s $8 billion casino and entertainment complex ‘Metropolitan Park’:pic.twitter.com/hXPxC2vjNJ
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 25, 2025
Racing for One Remaining License
The New York Gaming Commission is set to award three licenses in the next couple of months. But many in the industry think two of those will probably go to existing racino operators. That puts Cohen, Bally’s, and a handful of others right in the thick of a high-stakes competition for the third.
Bally’s is pushing a Bronx project that offers residents a stake in the ownership. Resorts World Queens is ramping up its expansion efforts.
Mets Momentum
Cohen’s got some momentum on his side, thanks to that City Council vote and Senator Liu’s new bill. However, let’s not forget Cohen has poured more than $2 million into lobbying in support of his project.
Yet in Albany, local senators often carry a lot of weight on land-use issues. Ramos is still firmly opposed to Cohen’s project. That could give some lawmakers pause and make them less likely to back the alienation measure without her support.
Gambling Landscape in the Big Apple
The gambling landscape in New York is getting more complicated by the day. Several regulations are working their way through the statehouse. Liu’s proposal is one of them. There’s also SB5935, which aims to ban online sweepstakes casinos outright.
Meanwhile, a plan to expand online casinos under SB 2614 has stalled.
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