Parkland alienation bill passes Senate, potentially paving way for Cohen’s casino

Steve Cohen’s dreams for a downstate casino are looking as real as ever now that the state Senate has approved a crucial “parkland alienation” bill in a 54-5 vote. The legislation is necessary to allow Cohen’s $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino bid to potentially come to fruition, as the proposed entertainment complex would sit on what is now classified as public parkland. Pending the governor’s signature, Cohen will be able to build a casino on the property next to Citi Field – so long as he also receives one of the three downstate casino licenses that the state Gaming Commission is set to award later this year.

The parkland alienation bill, sponsored by state Sen. John Liu, was immediately met with opposition from neighboring lawmaker state Sen. Jessica Ramos, whose district also overlaps with the proposed casino. Ramos was one of five lawmakers to vote against the bill; the others were state Sens. Liz Krueger, Jabari Brisport, Cordell Cleare and Joseph Addabbo, the chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee.

Ramos had previously refused to introduce a parkland alienation bill, arguing that the casino project would do little to boost the local economy while also stripping residents of the chance for sorely needed greenspace. At first, it seemed her word on the matter would be final, given the tendency of the state Legislature to defer on land-use decisions to members whose districts are directly affected.

But then Liu and freshman Assembly Member Larinda Hooks circumvented Ramos, who is currently in the middle of a mayoral run. They introduced legislation in March that would allow Cohen’s plan to go forward, and the bill passed the Assembly later that month. 

Liu told City & State that he didn’t see the issue affecting his and Ramos’ relationship going forward, even if lawmakers expressed some trepidation in conference with the proposal and the new precedent of abandoning member deference. 

He also said that the bill was about fairness more than anything else, since the Metropolitan Park casino bid would not be able to compete for a downstate casino license unless the parkland was alienated. “I am cognizant that there will be three downstate casino licenses awarded, all within a hop and skip from my area,” he said. “And so I think that this proposal, the Mets proposal, should at least be given the opportunity to be submitted.”

Ramos expressed a degree of disappointment with how things unfolded as she explained her no vote. “After decades of public neglect, it feels like the first serious proposal on the table is a casino that is not the kind of development that my community deserves,” she said. “Casinos may bring lights, but they also bring shadows. They extract wealth from working class communities, they prey on addiction and often displace the very people they claim to uplift.”

Cohen and his allies are now looking ahead. In a statement, Cohen called the passage of the parkland alienation bill “just the start” of a plan that has already seen massive lobbying efforts and that is projected to create 23,000 union jobs and $1 billion in community investment. “After years of community engagement, thousands of conversations, and the leadership of our local elected officials, we are one step closer to transforming these asphalt lots into something our neighbors can truly be proud of,” he said. 

Now all that’s left is a battle royale over three downstate casino licenses. For those eyeing Flushing, they certainly must feel lucky.