Queens Senator Jessica Ramos has been a thorn in the side of Steve Cohen and his proposed $8bn Citi Field casino, opting against introducing a bill to rezone parkland for commercial usage. This led to the billionaire New York Mets owner questioning how one person could have so much power over a project of this size.
Talking to the New York Post, Ramos admitted over the weekend that the opposition might not be enough to stop the project from going forward.
Liu has introduced a rezoning bill that would give the project the approval it needs.
The majority of the land for the planned casino falls into Ramos’ jurisdiction, with a sliver spilling over into Senator John Liu’s. Liu has introduced a rezoning bill that would give the project the approval it needs.
Ramos believes a casino will have a negative impact on low-income locals and said that 75% “of my neighbors don’t want it.”
Even if the bill is successful, the New York State Gaming Commission still needs to select Cohen’s bid from a total of 11 proposals that are vying for three downstate casino licenses. The regulator plans to make its final decisions by the end of 2025.
