The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) has agreed to pledge more than $10 million to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park as part of a deal struck with the City Council.
“This deal was a long time coming,” said Councilmember Julissa Ferreras. “I can say with confidence that we will all benefit from this expansion.”
USTA officials needed the council’s final vote to go through with the $500 million plan to expand the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at the park by 0.68 acres.
They agreed to commit to ongoing community outreach programs, create an annual job fair for Queens residents and give 5,000 free Arthur Ashe Day tickets to Queens kids.
The more than $10 million pledged by the USTA would go toward public safety enhancements at the park, Ferreras said.
“There are still details that we are currently working on and we will work on as a community for weeks to come,” she said.
The plans include hiring more local residents and preventing cars from parking on the grass.
But many in the borough remain opposed to developers taking city parkland.
The USTA was not originally required to give back any land lost in the project. But officials ultimately agreed to transfer ownership of two parcels of parkland the USTA has been renting to the Parks Department.
Park advocates criticized the plan as giving back land that was already accessible to the public.
Ferreras said the project would create $750 million in revenue annually and provide thousands of jobs.
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