With a limited amount of commercial casino licenses up for grabs in New York State, many stakeholders are vying for the chance to build their proposed project. One of those stakeholders includes Mets owner, Steve Cohen.
Cohen and his partners have proposed to transform 50-acres of asphalt at Citi Field into an entertainment complex featuring a casino and 25-acres of public park space. The project known as Metropolitan Park would be designed by SHoP Architects, the company behind Barclay’s Center, Pier 17, the Brooklyn Tower and Domino Park.
This Citi Field casino proposal would be an investment in the community, Cohen believes, stating:
It’s time New York got the sports and entertainment park it deserves. When I bought this team, fans and the community kept saying we needed to do better. Metropolitan Park delivers on the promise of a shared space that people will not only want to come to and enjoy, but can be truly proud of.
And though other bidders for the downstate casino licenses include proposal locations for Times Square, Hudson Yards, and Coney Island, the Citi Field project vision argues it’s taking into consideration what the community wants: green space and jobs.
Metropolitan Park also includes the creation of a live music venue, athletic fields, solar and green roofs, improved 7 train access, and a “Taste of Queens” food hall to be located on what is now parking space for Citi Field.
The proposal however has been met with much resistance from certain local leaders. New York State Senator even shared her belief that casinos “are businesses that extract wealth from communities.”
Overall, the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board has extended the application deadline for the licenses to June 27, 2025, promising a final decision on license allocation by December 31, 2025. The timeline has been set to accommodate all of the legal requirements, such as SEQR process, required to submit a valid application.