Steve Cohen’s Mets are a loser, and for now, at least, the Queens casino bid appears to be a loser too.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who represents the Flushing-Corona district where Cohen plans to build his $8 billion casino and entertainment complex, Metropolitan Park, has said she will not introduce legislation that would allow the billionaire clubhouse owner to get the permits he needs to move forward with the project.
Cohen and his partner in the casino project, Hard Rock, need state legislation to rezone the land around the Mets’ Citi Field stadium from parkland to entertainment zone in order to build the casino.
“I’m not going to introduce a bill that would take away Corona parkland for a casino,” Ramos said. Tuesday’s statement.
She said her constituents “crave green space and recreation that the whole family can enjoy,” not gambling.
“We don’t agree with the premise that we have to accept a casino in our backyard as a trade-off. Many are so desperate and outraged by generations of neglect that they are willing to compromise,” the Queens councilman said.
Without the rezoning, Cohen’s plan would not even get a chance to be considered by state regulators, who are currently reviewing his plan for a city casino and many other projects.
In theory, another state senator could introduce legislation to support Cohen’s plan, but that would be rare because lawmakers are reluctant to stonewall colleagues on projects important to their districts, the people said.
The redesignation bill has been introduced in the state Assembly, but it must also go through the state Senate for consideration.
Nearly a dozen bidders are vying for three state casino licenses to operate in or near New York City. Sites and licenses are scheduled to be selected by the end of 2025, giving Cohen some time to improve his chances, but not much.
As an alternative, Ramos said he had drafted legislation that would allow Cohen to build a convention center and hotel, but not a casino, and would more than double the amount of green space proposed.
“Mr. Cohen and Hard Rock Corporation will stand to realize profits, albeit at a reduced level,” she acknowledged in a statement.
“Mr. Cohen and his team have expressed their love for our community on multiple occasions and told us they see our potential. Finding a way forward would be a great way to show that.”
Ramos’ opposition to casinos is a blow to Cohen, who has spent millions on lobbying and charm campaigns and whose foundation recently donated to casinos. A staggering $116 million to CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College.
His casino project Gained support He also received support from other leading Queens politicians, including Borough President Donovan Richards and City Councilman Francisco Moya, who also represents the area.
Cohen’s camp has vowed not to give up on the casino plan, but argues that Ramos should not have sole veto power over it.
“While we respect Senator Ramos’s views, the state never intended for any one person to have the power to block or approve gaming projects on their own,” Metropolitan Parks/Cohen spokesman Carl Ricketts said in an email to The Washington Post.
“Metropolitan Park has overwhelming support from elected officials, labor unions and the local community and we are confident we can deliver the best project in the best location,” Ricketts said. “Getting the necessary approvals can take more than a year and there are multiple avenues to go through.”
“Our team remains committed to revitalizing Metropolitan Park as the only viable economic engine capable of generating 23,000 jobs, $8 billion in investment and tremendous community benefits.”
Richards “This $8 billion investment should not be awarded solely to elected officials, so I urge Governor Hokull and the State Senate to explore other avenues to make Metropolitan Park’s proposal a reality and ensure Queens continues to get the funding it deserves,” he agreed.
Some other Democrats have privately complained that Ramos’s ambition is overwhelming her.
“Like her fake mayoral bid that everyone knows will never happen, her year-old ‘decision’ about a local casino was nothing more than an attention-grabbing, self-serving stunt,” one of Ramos’ Democratic colleagues in the Senate told The Post.
Indeed, one of Ramos’s colleagues, Queens State Senator Michael Gianaris, used his power to unilaterally block Amazon from opening a $3 billion East Coast headquarters in his hometown of Long Island City in 2019.
Asked by The Washington Post if he thought his quest might be thwarted in any way, Ramos replied, “I’d be very surprised.”
“I think it would be a disservice to the Legislature if the will of the members of the Legislature was not respected,” she said. “I am a defender of the will of the voters, and I would be really shocked and very surprised if the Legislature were to allow someone else to introduce such a bill.”
Rival bidders have focused on Cohen’s problems and said simply throwing money around doesn’t always work.
“His whole approach is to threaten people with money, which is kind of awful. You’re lucky the system works,” said a source at a rival bidder.
But Cohen’s problems in Albany could also hurt another bidder, Bally’s, which last year won the lease on Trump’s golf course at Ferry Point in the Bronx. The Bally’s project also requires legislative action to convert parkland for casino use.
Other potential bidders include Related Companies/Wynn Resorts, which is proposing a $12 billion casino/office tower complex at Hudson Yards in Manhattan; SL Green/Caesars/Roc Nation, which is bidding for Times Square; Hell’s Kitchen’s Silverstein Properties; and Thor Equity Consortium, which is building a gaming complex on the Coney Island Boardwalk.
Meanwhile, existing slot parlors Resorts World at Aqueduct Racetrack and MGM Empire City at Yonkers Racetrack are competing for licenses to offer live table games.
