Around 200 people attended an “anti-casino” town hall in Flushing on Sunday, Oct. 19, to protest against the planned Metropolitan Park casino development adjacent to Citi Field and criticize state Sen. John Liu for introducing legislation in the state Senate that helped the development reach the final stage of a lengthy process to secure a downstate gaming license.
Liu introduced parkland alienation legislation in April to reclassify a Citi Field parking lot—currently designated as public parkland—into commercial property to facilitate the Metropolitan Park development.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, whose district represents the majority of the area where the development would be located, had long refused to introduce such legislation before Liu, who represents a smaller area of the site, eventually introduced the legislation in a major win for the Metropolitan Park development.
The state Senate voted 54-5 in favor of the parkland alienation legislation, while the Assembly voted 134-11 in favor of companion legislation introduced by Assembly Member Larinda Hooks.
The reclassification was a critical step toward advancing the ambitious development proposal, which aims to transform 50 acres of asphalt parking lot into a sprawling entertainment complex featuring 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 $8 billion proposal from Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International also features a Hard Rock resort and casino, a key revenue-generating component of the project.
As well as receiving overwhelming support in the state legislature, Metropolitan Park also received significant city support as zoning and map text amendments necessary for the development made their way through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
All six relevant community boards voted in favor of the amendments, with the City Council voting 41-2 in favor in March.
The project also received unanimous support from a Community Advisory Committee last month, with Ramos appointee George Dixon also voting in favor of the project.
Opponents to the proposed development, however, gathered at the Muslim Center of New York at 137-58 Geranium Ave. on Oct. 19 to voice their concerns about the planned casino and to demand an apology from Liu for introducing legislation to help facilitate its progress.
The town hall, hosted by the Muslim Center of NY, Flushing Workers Center and the FED UP Coalition, heard from residents who expressed concerns about the potential development and called for elected officials to “strike down” the casino.
Ramos, who repeatedly declined to introduce the parkland alienation legislation in the state legislature, told attendees that there is still an opportunity to prevent a casino from being developed in the area.
Metropolitan Park is one of three projects remaining in the fight to win a downstate gaming license. The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board will award up to three downstate licenses this December, but Ramos stated on Sunday that she is hopeful that not all three remaining bids will receive a license.
“Even though I’m sure he (Steve Cohen) and his team think they have it in the bag, they absolutely do not,” Ramos said at Sunday’s town hall. “There is no reason why the Gaming Facilities Board has to do three licenses. They can say they will only do two licenses. We can stop this altogether. I think there can be a world where no casino licenses are granted.”
Former state Sen. Tony Avella said the approval of Metropolitan Park would result in the loss of 25 acres of public parkland “forever.”
“This should not be allowed to happen,” Avella said. “Parkland is sacred and must always be protected for future generations. Shame on those elected officials who support the plan who are allowing this to happen.”
Avella further stated that the Metropolitan Park development will set a “terrible precedent” for future developments in the city by giving developers the green light to “seize” parkland throughout the city.
Jack Hu, a lifelong Flushing resident, blasted Liu over his support for the project, accused Liu of working on behalf of the interests of Cohen and other billionaires by supporting the development. Hu demanded that Liu, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Gaming Facility Location Board “strike down” the casino.
Baojin Qiu, another lifelong Flushing resident, accused Liu of turning his back on constituents, stating that Liu once pledged to oppose the casino before eventually supporting it. He further accused Liu of “colluding” with Cohen.
“John Liu, shame on you,” Qiu stated.
In response, Liu said he appreciated the passion of protesters but said the Metropolitan Park development has received support at every level as it made its way through the city and state.
“I appreciate the passion with which some advocates oppose this proposal, but the proposal recently won formal support from the Community Advisory Council unanimously, and also has long been supported by the borough president, state assembly members, city council members, and all nearby Community Boards,” Liu said in a statement.
Metropolitan Park spokesperson Karl Rickett also pointed to the near-universal success that Metropolitan Park has enjoyed in the City Council, the state legislature, community boards and the CAC.
“The approvals from six out of six Community Boards, the City Council, State Legislature, and the entire Community Advisory Committee underscore the deep and broad community support for Metropolitan Park,” Rickett said.
He also touted the community benefits that the development is touted to create, including 23,000 union jobs and over $1 billion in community benefits.
“We are committed to making this community-first vision a reality, delivering 23,000 union jobs, 25 acres of public park space, and over $1 billion in community benefits.”
Meanwhile, Jackson Heights resident Alexis Kaloyanides pointed to the example of gambling in Atlantic City as evidence that the introduction of a casino does not automatically guarantee economic success. She said Atlantic City is a “wasteland” of empty storefronts with a poverty rate higher than that of Queens.
“This idea that casinos improve local economies has been disproven again and again,” Kaloyanides said. “There is no multiplier effect for small businesses.”
Organizers of Sunday’s protest signalled their intent to hold a Community Rally Against the Casino outside Queens Public Library’s Flushing location at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16. Hu said he is hoping that 2,000 join the protest, which he said would make it the largest in the history of Downtown Flushing.
