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Read Full BioThe proposal to bring a casino to Coney Island appears to be in jeopardy, as Community Advisory Committee (CAC) members have announced their intention to vote against the plans.
Four members of the CAC told Brooklyn Paper they intend to vote “no” on The Coney development. The proposal requires four of the six committee members to vote “yes” to have any chance of being approved.
Council Member Justin Brannan, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, and Marissa Solomon have all indicated they will vote no.
The remaining committee members, Alex Sommer and Portia Henry, have not publicly stated their positions; however, their votes would be irrelevant if the first four all reject the proposal.
Project Promises Jobs, But Residents Protested
Thor Equities, Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation’s Global Gaming Solutions, and Legends Hospitality are backing The Coney project. The $3.4 billion proposal promised jobs and revitalization of the area through a redesigned Stillwell Avenue.
The development would feature a 500-room hotel, a 116,000-square-foot convention and events center, and over 20 restaurants. The group expected 8 million annual visitors and at least 10,000 jobs to be created.
Residents, however, voiced concerns that the development would destroy the iconic neighborhood and lead to increased traffic and crime. At a rowdy public hearing, protestors held signs with the words “Stop The Phoney.”
Supporters said the area needs the injection of new investment to create jobs, but boos often drowned out their calls. It seems the CAC members were persuaded by the arguments that the proposal would lead to further problems, rather than solving the existing ones.
Rejection Will Leave Four Bids for Three Licenses
An official vote must take place before September 30. If The Coney bid is also rejected, it leaves only four options for the coveted three downstate casino licenses.
All three Manhattan developments were rejected by their CACs. The Freedom Plaza lost out in a 4-2 vote on Monday, following rejections of The Avenir and Caesars Palace in Times Square last week.
The remaining projects are:
- Bally’s Bronx at Ferry Point
- MGM Empire City in Yonkers
- Metropolitan Park at Citi Field (Queens)
- Resorts World NYC at Aqueduct Racetrack (Queens)
Resorts World looks likely to win approval after a wave of support at its CAC hearings.
Similar to the Coney Island bid, the Metropolitan Park proposal faced strong opposition at its public hearing. The meeting had to be abandoned as angry protestors took over, voicing their opposition.
That would, in theory, leave the licenses for Bally’s Bronx and MGM Empire. However, there is no requirement to grant three licenses. That is the maximum number that can be approved, but negative votes from their respective CACs could leave only one or two projects on the table.
Following the CAC votes, the Gaming Facility Location Board will review any proposals that have been approved. Projects must then undergo New York’s land-use approval processes, which include zoning changes and environmental impact assessments.
The New York State Gaming Commission has final say on whether the projects are granted licenses. If approved, the developers must pay the minimum $500 million license fee to move forward with construction and operational setup.
