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This is an article generated by the GovWire AI engine for the Queens Community Board 3 meeting that took place on November 21, 2024. This article was generated for our client Epicenter NYC. For more information about the case study and to see other GovWire news products that were generated, please click the button below.
Queens Community Board Erupts in Debate Over Citi Field Casino Proposal
November 21, 2024
CORONA, NY (GovWire) - A proposal to build a casino near Citi Field in Queens ignited a firestorm of debate at a community board meeting on Thursday night, with residents and board members clashing over the potential benefits and risks of the project. The meeting, which stretched for over three hours, saw passionate arguments, colorful language, and accusations of manipulation and misrepresentation.
The proposal, put forward by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock Entertainment, would transform 50 acres of asphalt parking lots around the stadium into a mixed-use development, including a casino, hotel, convention space, and a 25-acre public park. The project, dubbed "Queens Future," is contingent on securing one of three gaming licenses that will be issued by the state next year.
Proponents of the project, including Mets Chief of Staff Mike Sullivan, touted the potential economic benefits, including the creation of 23,000 union jobs and an $8 billion private investment in the community. "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the area around Citi Field," Sullivan said.
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, a former City Council member and member of the Mets community outreach team, emphasized the community engagement efforts behind the project. "We've done over 1,000 meetings in the local community," she said. "We continue to engage and listen."
Opponents of the casino, however, voiced concerns about the social and economic costs of gambling. Michelle Laubert, a resident of Jackson Heights, shared a personal story of how casinos had affected her family. "When you say that this is the license that's going to pay for it, it's with the people's money, the vulnerable people," she said.
Alexis Gully, another resident, echoed these concerns. "Casinos have a long, proven history of praying upon the most vulnerable populations," she said. "Most often people with low incomes who have more to gain with a big win."
The debate also touched on issues of community benefits, displacement of residents, and the loss of public parkland. Some residents questioned the enforceability of the promised benefits, while others expressed skepticism about the Mets' claims that the casino was necessary to fund the project.
The meeting grew particularly heated when Community Board Chair Frank Gulluscio accused opponents of the casino of misrepresenting the facts and "not studying." He defended the project, saying, "What is there today? Drugs, prostitution, an area that can be used in law. Dilapidated trains, lapidation areas."
Despite the contentious debate, the board ultimately voted to approve the casino proposal, with 26 votes in favor, 8 opposed, and 3 abstentions. The decision, however, is likely to face further scrutiny as the project moves through the city and state approval process.
This article generated by GovWire AI.