Steve Cohen's Metropolitan Park casino proposal at Citi Field dealt serious blow. Here's what happened.
NEW YORK -- A state senator from Queens is saying "no deal" to a casino in her district.
Jessica Ramos released a statement Tuesday saying she will not introduce legislation that would pave the way for the Metropolitan Park casino proposed by Mets owner Steve Cohen.
"I will not introduce legislation to alienate parkland in Corona for the purposes of a casino. Whether people rallied for or against Metropolitan Park, I heard the same dreams for Corona," Ramos said. "We want investment and opportunity, we are desperate for green space, and recreation for the whole family. We disagree on the premise that we have to accept a casino in our backyard as the trade-off. I resent the conditions and the generations of neglect that have made many of us so desperate that we would be willing to settle."
The senator spoke to CBS New York's Ali Bauman about her decision.
"It's the result of three town halls, a poll, a survey, countless conversations and meetings with my constituents," she said.
Ramos says casinos "are businesses that extract wealth from communities."
The senator is countering with a plan to double the proposed 25 acres of public park space.
Mayor Eric Adams says he wants casinos in NYC
Mayor Eric Adams responded by saying a casino could be good for the area.
"We want a casino here. It brings in union jobs. It's great economic development," Adams said. "Jessica has to represent her senatorial district and the electors in that area. We're not putting our finger on the scale in one place or another. I just want casinos here."
There are up to three casino licenses in the New York City area up for grabs. The complicated state-approval process is expected to last through next year.
There are at least eight other locations bidding for a casino licenses. They include:
- Empire City in Yonkers
- Bally's Golf Links in the Bronx
- Nassau Coliseum
- The top floor of Saks Fifth Avenue
- Times Square
- Hudson Yards
- Freedom Plaza in Murray Hill
- Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island
What Cohen envisions
The proposal would transform 50 acres of asphalt around Citi Field into a sports and entertainment park. Developers say the project would bring 23,000 union jobs and provide 25 acres of public park space.
"Not just jobs -- careers because these are union opportunities, opportunities to move people into middle class," Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said.
The asphalt is technically designated as public park land, so the plan needs state legislation to move forward.
"We are capable and able to tell someone when we want something, and we've been saying it over and over and over and over and over again. We want Metropolitan Park. We want this for the jobs for the young people ... we want this for the green space, we want this because we deserve nice things," said Saeeda Dunston, with Elmcor Youth and Adult Services.
Metropolitan Park would also be home to a Hard Rock Casino, which is unacceptable to some.
"Imagine if a casino was being proposed for Central Park in Manhattan. None of those people living around the park would allow that," said John Choe, with the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce.
Ramos' rejection does not mean the deal is off the table. It is precedent in Albany to defer to the local lawmaker, but any other state senator could still bring the legislation forward. That includes Sen. John Liu, whose district includes a sliver of the lot.
Bauman asked Liu, "Would you consider bringing legislation forward to allow for a casino to be there?"
"I think it's good that Senator Ramos has made her decision ... We'll take a look and discuss all the issues that are related to this particular proposal," Liu said.
In a statement, a spokesman for Metropolitan Park said in part, "Our team remains committed to bringing Metropolitan Park to life."