Steve Cohen has faced stiff opposition to his $8bn Citi Field casino project, with local Senator Jessica Ramos blocking his attempts to rezone parkland for commercial usage due to concerns about the impact on the local community.
The billionaire is now bypassing this major hurdle by getting Senator John Liu, whose jurisdiction contains just a small fraction of the proposed casino, to introduce a rezoning bill.
state Senate committee voted 4-3 on Tuesday in favor of approving the bill
A state Senate committee voted 4-3 on Tuesday in favor of approving the bill. The full Senate and Assembly still need to approve the measure, and then Governor Kathy Hochul needs to sign it into law.
The 50-acre site is currently a parking lot for the New York Mets’ ballpark and the Flushing Meadow Corona Park.
Cohen will still need to fight off some strong competition for one of three available downstate New York casino licenses, including a Times Square casino involving Caesars Entertainment and two existing slot parlors run by MGM Resorts International and Genting.
Some operators have waved the white flag in recent weeks, with Saks Fifth Avenue and Las Vegas Sands deciding to no longer pursue one of the permits.
