Mets owner Steve Cohens $8B casino project near Citi Field gets big boost from lawmaker with bill to build on parkland
A Queens lawmaker will push legislation that would give billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen the legal right to move forward with a planned $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field.State Sen.John Liu announced Sunday he’s going to bat for the project with a bill that would legally convert the lots around Citi Field from parkland to commercial use — a move necessary to keep hope alive that the ambitious Metropolitan Park project would win one of three highly coveted downstate casino licenses.“The Flushing community has long aspired to have greater access to our waterfront and theother side of Flushing Creek,” Liu, whose district borders the site of the casino complex, said Cohen-Hard Rock International’s agreement to help develop Flushing Skypark, a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that would connect downtown Flushing to neighborhood separated by the Flushing Creek.“The Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard bridges cater to vehicular traffic but deter pedestrians and cyclists,” Liu added.
“The new Flushing Skypark will greatly enhance recreational and transportation options, and I am heartened by the sincere commitment of Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International to making it happen.”Liu announced his support for the proposed gaming/entertainment complex after Cohen and Hard Rock committed to secure regulatory approvals and all public and private funding needed for Flushing Skypark, connecting downtown Flushing from 39th Avenue and College Point Boulevard to Willets Point with a design inspired by Manhattan’s iconic High Line.He also applauded Cohen-Hard Rock’s commitment to putting up $100 million for capital improvements to the infrastructure of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which would benefit Queens residents, even if Skypark isn’t completed.“In the spirit of collaboration I will introduce legislation to create a pathway that makes these community benefits possible,” said Liu, the former city comptroller.Mets owner Cohen praised Liu ...