Hoylman-Sigal Says Citi Field Casino Project Has ‘Very Good Shot’ at Approval

New York state Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who’s running for Manhattan borough president, says the casino project backed by Mets owner Steve Cohen has a “very good shot” of approval. He also signaled strong opposition to a Manhattan casino.

While the $8 billion project across Citi Field, named Metropolitan Park, has cleared key hurdles in Albany, Hoylman-Sigal remains wary of the broader casino push in New York City.

New York law allows for up to three downstate casinos. Eight candidates have submitted applications. They include three in Manhattan, one in the Bronx, one in Coney Island, one in Yonkers, and two in Queens.

Many speculate that MGM’s Empire City in Queens and Genting’s Resorts World New York City are frontrunners. That’s because they’re operating racinos, already contributing to state tax revenue. Additionally, they would require fewer resources and less time to transition to full-scale casinos.

However, New York State Gaming Commission Chairman Brian O’Dwyer stressed that the licensing process is a level playing field and suggested that both MGM and Resorts World’s previous compliance issues in other states could be taken into account.

Hoylman-Sigal Sees Risk in Urban Casinos

Hoylman-Sigal, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared his views with CBS News New York’s “The Point with Marcia Kramer.”
He told Kramer that he’s not a casino candidate and believes they feed on crime, traffic, and addiction. The state Senator believes casinos are a “short-sighted way to raise revenue” for the state.

He added that the problems casinos bring are “legion” and well-documented, costing the public a lot of money. Still, he said that if a community in other boroughs outside Manhattan embraces a casino, then “more power to them.”

That is when he pointed to Metropolitan Park, which he believes has a strong chance of success. That’s notably because the state legislature amended statutes to reclassify the Citi Field parking lot from parkland to commercial use.

Rejecting Manhattan Casino Proposals

While he believes Metropolitan Park has a good chance, Hoylman-Sigal drew a hard line against opening a casino in Manhattan.

“If you want a casino in Manhattan, don’t vote for Brad Hoylman-Sigal,” he said, adding:

“If you want to exacerbate the problem of quality of life in a neighborhood, drop a casino in the middle of that. Crime, traffic, addiction. Casinos feed on all of those societal problems.”

He noted that the Broadway industry is pushing back hard against the Caesars Entertainment and SL Green‘s Times Square proposal.
The other two proposals in Manhattan, The Avenir by Silverstein Properties and Freedom Plaza by the Soloviev Group, have also faced pushback by local organizations.

Hoylman-Sigal has a direct connection to the Avenir bid, as he appointed Richard Gottfried, a retired Assemblymember who has historically opposed gambling expansion, to its Community Advisory Committee (CAC).

That could prove a stumbling block as the project seeks local approval.

A Contentious Queens Proposal

Metropolitan Park, backed by Cohen and Hard Rock International, will transform the current Citi Field parking lot into a mixed-use complex with a casino, hotel, live event venue, restaurants, athletic fields, and green space.

The developers pledge a $1 billion investment in the community, including a 25-acre public park and five acres of sports fields. The developers also promise a $163 million community fund for local projects.

Hard Rock estimates the project would create more than 23,000 jobs.

What Comes Next

All casino bids are currently at the CAC stage of the licensing process. They’ve presented their vision to the committee members, and some proposals have already had public hearings.

Notably, Metropolitan Park, along with the Coney Island proposal, has not yet had a public hearing scheduled. According to New York law, each bid must undergo at least two public hearings and a final vote by September 30.

To advance, each bid must get at least two-thirds approval (four out of six members). Then it would move to a final review by the New York Gaming Facility Location Board. The board will award the three licenses by the end of the year.