State Sen. Jessica Ramos expressed her disappointment following the State Senate’s approval of parkland alienation legislation for the $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino project earlier this week.
Ramos was one of only five lawmakers to vote against the bill during Tuesday’s Senate session, where 54 senators voted in favor.
Ramos, who represents the district where the proposed Metropolitan Park development would be located, had consistently refused to introduce the parkland alienation bill required for the project to move forward. The legislation was instead introduced last month by State Sen. John Liu, who represents a smaller portion of the area affected by the proposal.
The bill reclassifies the site, a parking lot adjacent to Citi Field that is currently designated as public parkland, as commercial property. Senate approval marks a critical step in advancing the large-scale development plan in Queens.
Earlier in May, the State Assembly passed companion legislation introduced by Assembly Member Larinda Hooks in a 134–11 vote.
Plans for Metropolitan Park include a 25-acre public park, new shops and restaurants, a Taste of Queens food hall, and a full-scale redevelopment of the Mets-Willets Point subway station, along with improvements to roads and bike paths. The proposal also features a Hard Rock resort and casino, a key revenue-generating component of the project.
According to the development team, the project is expected to generate 23,000 union jobs and deliver $1 billion in community benefits for Queens.
Although the proposed development area is an asphalt parking lot, it is legally designated as city parkland, meaning the city needed to approve zoning text and city map amendments before the project could proceed. The City Council voted 41-2 in favor of the related land use amendments in March as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
The state legislature also needed to approve a parkland alienation bill reclassifying the 50-acre site as commercial property if the project is to be successful.
Speaking during a visit to the Elmhurst Older Adult Center on Thursday, May 29, Ramos said it is a reality that three Downstate casino licenses are coming to New York City but said she believes she has “done her job” representing the views of the “vast majority” of her constituency.
“I believe in doing my due diligence. I love talking to my neighbors,” Ramos said. “If you were to poll this senior center right now, they would tell you they don’t want a casino. It’s something that’s predatory.”
Ramos said she respected Liu’s right to introduce parkland alienation legislation since the development also impacts Liu’s Senate District but said she was happy to “stand on principle” and vote against the bill.
“I respect his right to introduce legislation. That didn’t mean I had to agree with it or vote for it, and I didn’t. So I’m going to stand on my principle.”
Ramos was joined by fellow Queens lawmaker Joseph P. Addabbo and State Senators Jabari Brisport, Liz Krueger and Cordell Cleare in voting against the legislation during Tuesday’s vote.
Senate approval of the parkland alienation legislation brings the Metropolitan Park project one step closer to reality, with the bill now set to go to Gov. Kathy Hochul to be signed into law.
Liu welcomed the State Senate’s vote on Tuesday, stating that it allows the Metropolitan Park proposal to be considered by the State Gaming Commission.
“The proposal would create thousands of jobs for local residents and opportunities for local small businesses, and provide over a billion dollars in transit, park, and other infrastructure improvements,” Liu said in a statement.
Mets owner Steve Cohen said the State Senate’s vote is the result of years of community engagement and thousands of conversations, stating that the vote takes the development “one step closer to transforming these asphalt lots into something our neighbors can truly be proud of.”
“This is just the start, and we are committed to working closely with the community and fans every step of the way,” Cohen said in a statement.
Metropolitan Park officials contended that the proposed development is the only downstate casino project to undergo a “rigorous” state and city review process due to the site’s designation as a city parkland.
However, approval from both the legislature and City Council does not guarantee that the development will proceed on the Citi Field-adjacent site, as the project still faces additional hurdles, including the state’s casino licensing process and community review.
The $8 billion Metropolitan Park proposal hinges on the project winning one of the three downstate casino licenses approved by state legislators. The New York State Gaming Commission will decide who receives the three licenses.
Two of the three downstate licenses are expected to be handed to existing “racinos,” which have slot machines and horse racing but no traditional casino table games, making competition for the final gaming license fierce. Other projects vying for a downstate casino license have outlined proposals at Times Square, Hudson Yards, the United Nations, Coney Island, and the former Trump Links golf course in the Bronx, among other locations.
Representatives of the Metropolitan Park project have previously stated that the development will not proceed unless it wins one of the three downstate licenses.
State officials are expected to award downstate gaming licenses to the three successful projects by the end of 2025.
