NEW YORK | Casino Development| FT| FLOORS

[streetscaper]

Good find

The curvy building with the arches is great. The other one (the casino building) is quite bleghhh. Wynn's designs are typically the antithesis of classy as displayed here, which is another reason why I want time square to win

[NYguy]

The Council Speaker proposes building housing at Aqueduct when it closes. This is where Resorts World proposes to build housing for its employees.


https://queenseagle.com/all/2024/3/1...duct-racetrack

Horse racing to housing: Council speaker proposes new housing project at Aqueduct Racetrack


March 13, 2024
By Jacob Kaye

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams on Wednesday proposed building a new neighborhood on the 172-acre site currently occupied by Aqueduct Racetrack, as well as on an adjacent parcel of land owned by the city.

Currently used by the New York Racing Authority for horse races, the speaker said that the site, which is owned by the state, presents a rare opportunity to build much-needed housing in the city and in her council district, in particular.

The proposal was unveiled as one of the central pieces of Adams’ State of the City speech delivered from the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Wednesday afternoon. Much of her speech – her third since being elected speaker of the Council – centered on the city’s affordability crisis and the struggles of low and middle income New Yorkers to make ends meet, and how city government is poised to “get back to basics” to provide them with the services to ensure they remain in the five boroughs.

Her plan for Aqueduct Racetrack was the first proposal Adams pitched during her speech.

“As a native New Yorker who grew up in Southeast Queens, I know the possibilities and the promise this city holds,” the speaker said. “Through good union jobs, my parents were able to enter the middle-class and create a stable life for my sister and me.”

“But what was possible then is too often out-of-reach now,” she added.

As a solution, Adams said that the Aqueduct site, as well as a currently unoccupied site next door, should be converted into what may amount to a new neighborhood with housing at its center.

Within three to four years, the horse racing currently being held at Aqueduct is expected to be moved to Belmont Park, the racetrack in Nassau County, just over the Queens-Long Island border, that is currently undergoing a renovation.

The impending move has left the future of the state-owned site somewhat up for grabs.

“This presents a generational opportunity to transform this site into housing and homeownership, open space, and new community amenities,” the speaker said during her speech on Wednesday.

However, Adams’ proposal is not the first for the site.

Last month, Genting Group, the owners of Resorts World New York City, unveiled its plans to turn Resorts World into a fully fledged casino, and, in an effort to nab one of the state’s three downstate casino licenses expected to be handed out in the next year or two, Genting pitched building employee housing on the Aqueduct site.

Their $5 billion proposal – which would only be built should they be granted a casino license – would include 3,000 units of “workforce housing,” the creation of open space and improvements to local transportation.

Resorts World is largely expected to receive one of the state’s downstate casino licenses.

The speaker made no mention of the casino proposal – which has received backing from Rep. Gregory Meeks, State Senators Joseph Addabbo and Leroy Comrie, Assembly Members Stacey Pheffer Amato and Alicia Hyndman, and City Councilmember Nantasha Williams – during her speech on Wednesday.

Representatives from Resorts World did not respond to request for comment on Wednesday.

A Council spokesperson said that Adams’ proposal for the state-owned land is still in its earliest stages and could change depending on Resorts World’s ability to secure one of the casino licenses.

In a report released alongside the speaker’s State of the City speech, the speaker’s office alluded to the fact that the site’s future rests in the hands of the state.

“In anticipation of state decisions regarding use of the land, Speaker Adams will work with state partners, including state legislators, to ensure local stakeholders help in seizing the benefits from unlocking these possibilities,” the report read.

The speaker also proposed building housing on a 26-acre city-owned lot adjacent to Aqueduct Racetrack – the project may or may not be linked to the project on the Aqueduct site depending on whether or not Resorts World receives a casino license.

The site is one of the largest parcels of vacant, city-owned land, according to the speaker, who noted that its proximity to the A train “makes it a valuable opportunity for transit oriented housing.”

The proposal was met with a standing ovation from both Mayor Eric Adams – who is currently being sued by the Council over his administration’s failure to implement the legislature’s housing voucher expansion program – and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.

The speaker said that the plan to bring the housing project to her district was her way of “lead[ing] by example” after the mayor criticized members of the Council for being reluctant to support affordable housing projects in their districts.

“The expectation must be for every district to equitably contribute to addressing the housing crisis,” the speaker said. “Every one of us, and the communities we represent, have an equal responsibility.”

Queens Community District 10, where the proposal would be located, has seen the lowest amount of affordable housing development of any district in Queens, according to the speaker, who represents parts of ​​South Ozone Park, Jamaica, South Jamaica, Springfield Gardens, Brookville and Rochdale Village.

In all, the district has seen less than 200 new units of housing since 2018.

[NYguy]

So far, of the casino proposals, we've gotten a look at more information on most of them. We haven't seen much on the Bally's, and not really much on the Coney Island proposal, other than a couple of renderings.

Another look at the Coney development footprint...

[NYguy]

Another zoning change that should have been started already…


https://westfaironline.com/combined/...asino-license/

MGM asks for zoning change in preparation for possible award of full-casino license





by PETER KATZ
March 18, 2024

MGM Yonkers Inc. at 810 Yonkers Ave., which operates Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts in Yonkers wants to be ready to redevelop the current Empire City and Yonkers Raceway physical plant and expand if New York state awards it one of the new licenses for downstate operation of a full casino.

As such, it is asking the City of Yonkers for a zoning change that would allow it to go ahead with a redevelopment plan that would accommodate a Las Vegas-type of casino along with additional attractions. The property and existing improvements at Empire City and Yonkers Raceway are owned by MGM and YRL Associates, L.P., a New York limited partnership with offices in Manhattan.

The RFA and state law authorizing the remaining three casinos require an applicant to make a minimum $500 million dollar capital investment in the proposed casino facility. MGM has already floated conceptual plans for extensive upgrading and the addition of new features at the Yonkers site that would meet the requirement.

Attorney Mark Weingarten of the White Plains-based law firm DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP, filed a zoning petition requesting creation of new zoning district encompassing the property, to be known as the “Casino Special District.”

”Yonkers Raceway has been an essential part of the fabric of the city since 1899, when the Empire City Trotting Club was founded,” Weingarten said in the petition. “In October, 2006, the first phase of Empire City Casino opened with 1,870 machines. The second phase of the facility opened in December, 2006, adding 120,000 square feet of space to bring the total number of machines to 4,000. In March, 2007, the third phase opened, and in January, 2013, a 66,000 square foot expansion was completed, bringing the total number of slots and electronic table games to more than 5,200. Empire City Casino is currently the sixth largest gaming floor in the country. It is the premier gaming, horse racing, and entertainment facility in the region, the largest private employer in the city, and one of the most important contributors to the overall

The concept that has been introduced includes creating a gaming and entertainment facility with 845,000 square feet. Approximately 275,000 square feet of existing space would be redeveloped and there would be approximately 340,000 square feet of new construction. A new eight-level 4,800 space parking garage with solar panels on top would be built.

The existing main gaming floor that currently has electronic machines will be completely transformed into a first-class 
casino gaming floor incorporating table games, slot machines and electronic table games. A center bar with tabletop games will 
occupy a central position on the gaming floor, and two additional walk-up bars will also provide central gathering spaces for the casino.

Outside, there would be new signage including use of MGM Resorts’ gold lion as a centerpiece. The northwest and west facades, where the building is visible from the New York State Thruway and Central Park Avenue, will be done using a mix of modern metal paneling, screens, and softer stone or stone-like accents. The south entry near the 
racetrack will also receive a new exterior treatment.

A two-story expansion building will be connected to the existing building’s north and east façades. The expansion will enhance the main casino floor by adding new high limit gaming areas, including domestic and international table games, high limit slots, and a high limit lounge. Three new restaurants including a steakhouse, a noodles venue, and casual Italian dining are planned.

According to Weingarten, “A new four-level, state-of-the-art entertainment venue will be located in the northwest corner of the property, adding a much-needed amenity for the city and a significant regional attraction. The venue will be capable of accommodating a variety of events, and flexible seating configurations will allow concerts and performances at many scales.”

Weingarten indicated that MGM might possibly in the future develop a second phase of the project that could potentially consist of a hotel and additional conference/meeting space, but has no current plan to do so.

The Yonkers City Council had referred the zoning petition to the Planning Board for its consideration and recommendation and the board was due to take it up at its March 14 meeting.

[NYguy]

https://w42st.com/post/all-in-or-bad...ino-proposals/

All-in or Bad Bet? Hell’s Kitchen Weighs Up the Odds Over Casino Proposals





by Dashiell Allen
3/20/24

Developers Related Companies and Silverstein Properties have released renderings of glitzy high-rise towers in their own casino proposals for the neighborhood, at W41st Street and 11th Avenue and W33rd Street and 11th Avenue respectively. In Times Square, another development company, SL Green, is proposing an eight-story, 250,000 square-foot gaming facility and 950-room hotel.

Tuesday’s meeting was not about individual projects but rather an opportunity for people to express their thoughts generally on the topic of casinos.

While no bids have officially been submitted, much less selected, Jerry Skurnik, one of seven part-time New York State Gaming Commissioners, explained to the board that “it’s almost certain that the next three will be downstate.”

“To my knowledge there are no favorites. In fact, we don’t even know who is going to apply,” Skurnik said. “No applications have been submitted yet.”

Skurnik explained that developers aiming to build a casino will have 30 days to submit their bids after the Gaming Facility Location Board publishes the answers to a second set of questions, which he said would be soon. The first set, released in August of last year, included answers to 613 questions. Once the bids are in, they will go to a Community Advisory Committee, made up of members appointed by local elected officials, for review.

Next, each casino proposal would in theory follow the city’s ULURP process — but not if the City Council passes the City of Yes Gaming Facility Text Amendment exempting casino proposals from the standard land use review if they are in manufacturing or commercial-zoned districts. The Gaming Facility Locations Board then reviews the approved proposals and determines whether to award them a license, with a price tag of $500 million.

Skurnik argued the text amendment, which CB4 has publicly expressed opposition to, is necessary because proposals may not be selected, despite passing through the months-long process.

Barbara Knecht, a longtime Hell’s Kitchen resident and urban planner, said casinos are “probably one of the most anti-urban uses I can think of. They do not speak to the street, they do not speak to the people on the street,” she said.

Alexis Audette, a 20-year resident of Hell’s Kitchen, said that after doing her own research, she came away with the feeling that a casino “would be very negative, both for Hell’s Kitchen and for New York City.”

“What we need here is clean air and pedestrian-friendly streets,” she said. “A casino will increase traffic which will degrade our air quality and make our streets more dangerous. We need reliable infrastructure and emergency services. A casino will place a burden on our streets and our police and fire services.”

Audette added she believes casinos “will not add to the local economy and may actually hurt it.”

In contrast, two Hell’s Kitchen residents — David Stuart and Anya Wallach — expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a casino in their backyard.

Stuart was “skeptical about it,” he said, until he started meeting with SL Green, the development company proposing a casino in Times Square.

“They are coming back with a security plan, investment in the community, they’re gonna work on tree beds, they have a $9 million plan to invest in community projects,” he said. “They have a sanitation plan, they have all these kind of things that right now our community could benefit from.”

Wallach added, “the crime is already here,” which is why she supports the services that would be offered, such as private trash removal and “private security.”

“To have private supplementation would be a really unique opportunity,” she said.

Joe Restuccia, of Clinton Housing Development Company, which builds affordable housing in the neighborhood, meanwhile framed the prospect of casinos in opposite terms.

“It’s folks with a great deal of money coming in and they will offer everybody and his uncle anything possible,” he said. “They have one goal, and it’s not a bad goal: they want to make a lot of money.”

He urged the community not to be swayed by the amenities developers offered. “It is crumbs off a table from how much money will be generated from these licenses,” he said. “And I am very concerned from our community point of view, what’s being presented is a way to split, divide, grab people and say do this or do that, because that is the way very large entities who have incredible amounts of money around them work.”

Aleix Audette said that a casino “would be very negative, both for Hell’s Kitchen and for New York City.” Photo: Phil O’Brien





Resident Anya Wallach expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a casino in her backyard. Photo: Phil O’Brien

[NYguy]

https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs...-casino-zoning

Planning Commission approves new casino zoning


By Courtney Gross
Mar. 20, 2024

The City Planning Commission approved new zoning to make way for casino construction in the five boroughs Wednesday.

The new zoning would allow casinos to be built in commercial and manufacturing zones throughout the city, following a rigorous state review and application process. The zoning change will head to the City Council for approval.

“We made this applicable to certain commercial and manufacturing districts in New York City, so that under New York City zoning, if you make it through the rather onerous and complicated state process, then there will be on this occasion only the possibility of locating a casino in New York City,” Dan Garodnick, chair of the City Planning Commission, said.

The changes will mean most casino applications will not have to go through a time consuming and expensive land use process at the City Council in addition to the state licensing process already required.

Of the 11 projects expected to vie for a license, four will still need additional special approval from the City Council even after this zoning change, including a potential project at Hudson Yards, a casino proposal at CitiField, a proposed casino in Coney Island, and a potential project at the Bally’s golf course in the Bronx.

The other applicants, like one in Times Square or a massive expansion of Resorts World in Queens, would not need additional city approvals.

Two members of the planning commission voted against the zoning change, citing the need for more scrutiny of these projects.

The hotel and casino workers’ union, though, applauded the move. The union has already secured agreements from the leading contenders in this casino competition to support union labor.

“The expansion of gaming downstate and around New York City is going to create tens of thousands of those really good solid middle-class jobs, which are so desperately needed,” Rich Maroko, president of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, said. “I would hope that the majority of City Council members will see this is beneficial for New York and New Yorkers.”

[NYguy]

Suspected this was the reason for delays...


https://www.qchron.com/editions/quee...e9d05e8ca.html

What’s the hold up on casino licenses?
Months after it said it would respond, commission denies delay


by Sophie Krichevsky
Mar 21, 2024

Applications for the three downstate casino licenses eligible to be awarded this year have not yet opened.

That’s in spite of the fact that at the state Gaming Commission’s December meeting, Executive Director Robert Williams said staff would be working through the holiday season to respond to the second of two rounds of questions from applicants. The public release of the commission’s responses triggers a 30-day period for those vying for licenses to submit their applications.

But more than three months later — and well after the holidays — contenders have received no response, as the commission, one potential bidder and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), who chairs the Senate Gaming Committee, all confirmed.

Asked about the delay, Brad Maione, a spokesperson for the commission, rejected the notion that there even is one, calling the question “flawed.”

“There are NO deadlines due to factors that are beyond the Commission and Gaming Facility Location Board’s control,” he said via email. “Among those is the requirement that applicants complete the zoning process before the Gaming Facility Location Board can consider an application.”

But in Addabbo’s view, that’s precisely why the commission has not released the question-and-answer responses: Because applicants must see to any zoning issues before submission, were the 30-day window to start today, some contenders would be ruled out. And some in the mix would require the enactment of the City Planning Commission’s proposed gaming text amendment, which would allow casinos to be built in commercial and manufacturing districts.

“The state [commission] is waiting for a couple of the possible proposals to deal with some of their land use issues. So they’re looking at the city to do the zoning text amendment,” Addabbo said. Later, he said, “Many of these entities ... have had almost a year — some more than a year — to work on the land use issues. So the state, in my opinion, has to make a decision: Which proposals are attainable? Which are able to move forward?”

There was some movement on Wednesday as the CPC voted 10-2 in favor of the amendment, sending it to the City Council for a vote. While the Council has 50 days to vote on it, two sources familiar with the matter said the Department of City Planning doesn’t anticipate it taking the whole time.

[NYguy]

It would be governmental malpractice to not take this opportunity to open a casino in Times Square. Be smart New York.



March 22, 2024

[Busy Bee]

Yeah, look at those huge crowds of unsquandered wealth!

Seriously though, yes, I think it should go to Times Square. It's the obvious spot for it. TS is already garish and vulgar. A casino is a natural fit. Part of the argument for a HY casino is this conventioneer angle, which I think is misguided. A) not all convention goers are going to gamble, either because of time or values, and B) if conventioneer wanted to gamble they can just walk their ass or (7) train it 4 blocks east.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Yeah, look at those huge crowds of unsquandered wealth!

Seriously though, yes, I think it should go to Times Square. It's the obvious spot for it. TS is already garish and vulgar. A casino is a natural fit. Part of the argument for a HY casino is this conventioneer angle, which I think is misguided. A) not all convention goers are going to gamble, either because of time or values, and B) if conventioneer wanted to gamble they can just walk their ass or (7) train it 4 blocks east.

No, not all convention goers are going to gamble. But it is a huge draw to have a casino complex, with all of it's entertainment options, not to mention the large casino hotel, right next to the convention center. It makes the convention center itself more attractive. As it is now, its practically removed from everything else. But not every tourist in Times Square will gamble either. Most people who go into casinos go in to play a few slots, maybe have a drink. Tourist come to New York for so many different reasons. A casino is just one more thing to do. The crowds in Times Square are already there. It's not a question of will they come. The same can be said for Hudson Yards, though, in its incomplete state. With the High Line especially feeding into it, it will be a natural draw, even if that casino is geared more for high end. Most people just want to play the slots for a while.

Anyway, there are two "racinos" operating in the immediate area, one just outside the city limits and one in. They generate LARGE amounts of money for the state, and they aren't even geared towards tourists. Considering that angle alone, the question before the state is, do we want income generated from 5 New York City area casinos, or just 3? Because the two racinos won't close. They will continue to operate, and can even make some of the improvements they have put forward in their proposals. Could they see some drop off? Sure. They will still make and generate crazy amounts of money for the state. As I said, most people just want to play a few slots, it makes no difference what kind of casino it is, or who has what license. And then, there are the development/employment considerations, which are big game changers.

[NYguy]

The state's inability to get out of it's own way amazes me. It didn't have to be this way. That shows you that somebody who didn't know what they were doing created this convoluted process.


https://www.politico.com/news/2024/0...-bids-00148669

Why New York’s casino bidding process will continue to face delays
To the chagrin of lawmakers, downstate casinos are a long ways away.





By JASON BEEFERMAN
03/25/2024

The wait for a downstate casino is not ending anytime soon.

The state Gaming Commission indicated last week that it likely won’t start accepting applications in the high-stakes casino bidding war until the City Council approves a land use change necessary to build a casino in the five boroughs.

The state commission previously said it would also not begin considering those applications until state-appointed advisory committees meet to evaluate the bids.

That means casino licenses won’t be awarded for many more months, if not longer — much to the chagrin of gaming supporters.

The commission is expected to provide further detail into the process’s timeline at its meeting Monday. At the very least, the regulatory body suggested it will not open the bidding process until the approval of a citywide zoning change, which could happen in the coming weeks.

But it is likely they could wait on accepting applications until some bids obtain additional zoning approvals — like state legislation or city zoning modifications — specific to their projects.

“The Board is cognizant of the many factors relating to the zoning requirement, including New York City’s proposed text amendment relating to gaming facilities and of the many zoning-related questions posed by applicants during the first two rounds of questions,” reads a statement from the Gaming Commission, referencing the powerful Gaming Facility Location Board, which will ultimately award the licenses. “The updated timeline, expected to be finalized soon, will consider these and other factors.”

The council’s subcommittee on zoning and franchises will hold a hearing on a citywide amendment to enable casino development Tuesday, one week after the process was launched by the City Planning Commission.

And despite efforts by the state Legislature and some casino companies to hasten the process, each project must first get sign-off from ad hoc casino boards appointed by state and city leaders for their applications to be considered. None of those boards have even been set up yet.

So the process to award three gambling licenses in the nation’s largest untapped gaming market, which was initially expected to be at or near conclusion by now, appears far from over. As a result, some of the world’s largest casino companies remain in an ongoing and costly lobbying campaign to win local and, then ultimately, state approval.

The projects will cost billions of dollars and are massive — one proposal would place a casino next to Citi Field in Queens, another aims to attract gamblers to Times Square and a third to the Coney Island boardwalk.

But two years after the state agreed to expedite the licensing process for the New York City area, the commission is urging patience.

“The Gaming Facility Location Board will provide applicants a reasonable amount of time to obtain zoning approval for their proposed projects – a statutory requirement for Board consideration,” the gaming commission said in a statement to POLITICO.

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/politi...025-state-says

New York City casino bids won't be due until 2025, state reveals






NICK GARBER
March 25, 2024

Bids to open casinos in New York City will not open up until 2025, state officials announced Monday, finally putting a firm timeline on what has been a sluggish run-up to the eagerly awaited process.

[Doubleu1117]

Disappointing. The longer this takes the longer we have prime development opportunities waiting around for limited licenses. Ties up the sites and the developers as a whole.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Doubleu1117

Disappointing. The longer this takes the longer we have prime development opportunities waiting around for limited licenses. Ties up the sites and the developers as a whole.

It's an embarrassment. When people say the government gets in the way, this is an example of what they mean. Here's where it all went wrong:





Why on earth, did they decide that there should be multiple, redundant, levels of approval. Why? The city's own approvals process is notoriously tedious. It's not the city giving out the licenses. It's a state process, but they decided at the 11th hour to drop this on the city. It's one thing for individual proposals to get zoning, with multiple community meetings for both the bidders and the city itself. But hey, lets throw in a made up Community Advisory Committee (isn't that what community boards are for?) to cover our own asses. And nobody seems to be in charge, or really know what's going on. Utter incompetence.

[NYguy]

https://nypost.com/2024/03/28/us-new...c-casino-plan/

Councilman Francisco Moya backs Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $8B Queens casino plan


By Carl Campanile
March 28, 2024

Queens Councilman Francisco Moya endorsed Mets owner Steve Cohen’s plan to build an $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field — but state Sen. Jessica Ramos, another influential political player who can make or break the project, is not on board.

“I wholeheartedly believe that Metropolitan Park is in Queens’ and New York City’s best interest,” Moya who represents the communities around Flushing Meadow Park and Willets Point said in a statement Thursday — referring to the name of Cohen’s proposed gaming center, hotel, and music venue.

For Cohen’s casino project to succeed, he needs the state Legislature to approve a law to reconvert the lots around Citi Field designated as park land since the World’s Fair was for commercial use — something Ramos has not agreed to do.

Moya is a fervent backer of another project next to the Cohen casino, a new professional soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club.

He gushed the casino-entertainment complex “will provide the economic engine to drive people to the area year-round and create a world-class fan experience for the millions who come to Citi Field, the USTA Tennis Center, and all those who will soon be coming to cheer on the NYCFC.”

“If we fail to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we ensure that the area around Citi Field remains underutilized parking lots for the foreseeable future; and we permanently stymie the future growth potential of Queens. Let’s not allow that to happen. I look forward to supporting this historic project and making Metropolitan Park a reality,” the councilman said.

But Senator Ramos, whose support is critical to passing a law in Albany for the project to proceed, is still playing high-stakes poker and issued a statement critical of Cohen team’s lobbying strategy — on the eve of her holding another town hall meeting on the project.

“I question the strategy here. This press release, the last minute press conference before my third town hall, the paid canvassers at my first town hall – these are not the open and transparent moves that I would expect from someone claiming to value real, honest community engagement,” Ramos said in a statement texted to The Post.

A day earlier, Ramos posted a picture of herself on social media with rapper Nas, who is part of the Genting Resort World slot parlor’s competing bid to obtain a full casino license to offer table games and open a music venue.

[NYguy]

https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/04/01/p...s-steve-cohen/

Pol’s Poll Shows Low Support for Citi Field Casino
Mets owner Steve Cohen has been spending money lavishly to sway public opinion and pack town halls, but the teams’ neighbors still don’t appear to be sold.





BY KATIE HONAN
APRIL 1, 2024

Amid a deep-pocketed bid to drum up local support for a new casino at Citi Field, a key state elected official polled constituents — and found a majority of those asked don’t want it.

State Senator Jessica Ramos, a Democrat who represents the parts of western Queens that surround the stadium, said she wanted more clarity on how her constituents felt about the $8 billion Metropolitan Park project.

Of those she had polled, 61% said they would not want to see a full casino anywhere in Queens, and 75% said they would not want one in their neighborhood.

Ramos’ support is needed because any development on the parkland around Citi Field would require a waiver from the state legislature. But if the Mets don’t get the casino license, which happens under a separate process, nothing at all will get built, team representatives have said.

Ramos said she’s waiting until May to decide if she’ll co-sponsor a parkland alienation bill introduced last year in the assembly, while gauging support in her district. That’s been difficult, she told THE CITY.

Although she’s hosted three town halls, Ramos said it’s been hard to find people who are actually supportive of the casino plan but who haven’t “received or been promised a check” by the billionaire Cohen in exchange for support.

She noted that the Metropolitan Park website didn’t initially mention the casino and her recent town halls were often packed with paid canvassers or union members asked to show up to support the casino.

“I was always dubious about how they buried the word ‘casino’ in their scripts, in their written propaganda — I really was desperate to be transparent and hear from my neighbors directly,” Ramos said.

.....“It’s very clear my neighbors want greenspace, it’s very clear we’re worried about flooding,” Ramos said.

“Do we really want to be known as the borough of casinos? It’s off brand.”

Unlike most of the other bids around the city, the Mets’ proposal has the extra hurdle of the parkland alienation rule —- and Cohen has spent big on lobbying to clear that hurdle. City and state records showed he’s retained nearly a dozen lobbying firms through two organizations, New Green Willets and Queens Future.

Last year, New Green Willets spent nearly $950,000 on these firms, the second most by any client in the city for anything, lobbying records show. Queens Future doled out $349,000 on lobbying last year.

They’ve spent $289,595 so far in the first quarter of 2024, city lobbying records show.

Their efforts to pick up support have also included town halls at Citi Field featuring Cohen, meetings with organizations and canvassing throughout Queens.

Last week, City Councilmember Francisco Moya, a Democrat who represents the area, endorsed the project after being lobbied by Cohen’s team for more than a year to speak in its favor.

“I wholeheartedly believe that Metropolitan Park is in Queens’ and New York City’s best interest,” Moya said in a statement Thursday, adding he would introduce a “home rule” message, a resolution in the Council that supports state laws that affect New York City. That message, however, is only issued once the state legislature introduces the parkland alienation bill with support in both the senate and the assembly.

That necessary home rule vote is one reason Cohen had been holding up an agreement that would allow the soccer club NYCFC to use Citi Field’s lots for fans to park during their games, THE CITY reported last year.

https://therealdeal.com/new-york/202...-suffers-blow/

Steve Cohen’s Queens casino plan suffers blow
Sen. Ramos’ poll shows local opposition as she calls developer’s survey “propaganda”


APR 1, 2024
By Erik Engquist

Take two polls about an $8 billion, casino-centered project proposed by Mets owner Steven Cohen next to Citi Field. His own survey showed robust local support, but a new one commissioned by a legislator who is skeptical of the plan shows strong opposition, The City reported.

Neither poll is surprising in the least. Other developers vying for a license from the state to build a downstate casino have conducted their own polls, focusing on other aspects of the development to show they are popular. Yet most residents, if asked bluntly if they want a casino in their neighborhood, will say no. In this case, 75 percent did.

What does matter is the reaction of Sen. Jessica Ramos to the poll of 432 voters in her district, for which an anonymous donor paid Slingshot Strategies $27,500. Ramos refused to tell The City who paid for the poll, but it’s almost certainly an opponent of the project.

Ramos told The City that she has not found many constituents who like the proposed development, dubbed Metropolitan Park, unless they have “received or been promised a check” by Cohen.

If Cohen cannot get Ramos on board, his plan is almost certainly dead. He needs the state legislature to change the designation of the casino site, which is parkland, although it has been a parking lot for decades. The legislature’s custom is to only alienate parkland if the local Senate and Assembly members are in favor. Only one out of two support Cohen’s plan.

[NYguy]

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/a...readtonight_nl

Lawmakers look to speed up delayed NYC casino process
The chairs of the Legislature’s gaming committees want to draw up a new downstate casino timeline after delays, but the governor hasn’t signaled support.


BY: JASON BEEFERMAN
03/26/2024

Sen. Joseph Addabbo is urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to speed up the timeline of the casino bidding process after the state’s Gaming Commission this week announced it likely won’t award any downstate casino licenses until the end of 2025.

On Monday, the commission detailed a new timeline for the high-stakes downstate casino bidding process, which will ultimately give way to what is likely to be three of the most lucrative casinos in the world.

Now Addabbo, the head of the Senate racing and wagering committee, said he is working on getting a bill introduced in the state Legislature that would speed up the current timeline by allowing the Gaming Commission’s facility siting board to evaluate casino bids before applicants are finished with zoning and environmental reviews.....

[mrnyc]

^ well that’s good news. i don’t think they could drag their feet any slower on this.

[Anthony_Burns]

Originally Posted by NYguy

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/a...readtonight_nl

Lawmakers look to speed up delayed NYC casino process
The chairs of the Legislature’s gaming committees want to draw up a new downstate casino timeline after delays, but the governor hasn’t signaled support.


Meanwhile, for those looking for some excitement, exploring options like slot Malaysia free credit no deposit can offer a taste of the thrill while awaiting developments in the casino industry.
BY: JASON BEEFERMAN
03/26/2024

The governor has not indicated whether SHE supports this initiative. It will be interesting to see how this develops and whether they can agree on a revised timetable for the opening of the casino.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Anthony_Burns

The governor has not indicated whether he supports this initiative. It will be interesting to see how this develops and whether they can agree on a revised timetable for the opening of the casino.

"She". The governor is a "she".

[NYguy]

https://nypost.com/2024/04/14/us-new...10m-expansion/

Long Island casino to break ground on $210 million expansion to stay ahead of competition


By Craig McCarthy and Aneeta Bhole
April 14, 2024

Suffolk OTB will break ground on a $210 million expansion of Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel ahead of its competitors vying for the coveted NYC casino licenses.

“We’re not vying for one of the licenses, and as a matter of fact, I think that wherever those casinos are located, we are going to be able to compete very well,” Suffolk OTB CEO Phil Boyle told the Post.

The expansion — the first since the casino opened in 2017 — is expected to increase annual revenue by as much as 42% and double terminals to 2,000 and increase parking from 600 spaces to close to 2,000.

“We are going to basically double the size of the current Casino,” Boyle explained adding that they’re one of two government-owned casinos in the United States.

“And all of our profits, for the most part, go to the New York State Education Department and to our host county of Suffolk County on Long Island.”

https://www.playusa.com/long-island-...-on-expansion/