New York Mets over Steve Cohen’s plan to bid for a New York City casino license may be determined in the coming days as the state’s legislative session kicks off. Cohen has proposed an $8 billion casino complex on the parking lot and area adjacent to Citi Field in Queens. Bally’s is also seeking to win the bid and build a casino at a Bronx golf course and is in a similar situation.
“Because both sites are public parkland, state and city officials need to approve the change of use,” Politico reports. “The additional step will mean winning local political support under a tight timeline, with key lawmakers expressing reservations and potential delays hindering their path to a license.”
Several companies have been jockeying for the casino bid over the last year. Officials bidding is expected to be finalized in the next few months.
Clearing up the zoning issues at the state and city levels will be crucial for the bid from the Mets and Bally’s. However, whether those efforts are successful remains to be seen.
“I want my community to feel that I have really thought this through,” state Sen. Jessica Ramos told Politica. Her district includes Citi Field. “The thing is, I’m not done thinking. Land is finite, and land is a very valuable resource in New York. These decisions should not be taken lightly.”
Other plans have called for bringing a casino to Coney Island, Times Square, Hudson Yards, atop Saks Fifth Avenue’s, and the Nassau Coliseum.
