Metropolitan Park Closes Out New York Casino CAC Process with Unanimous Approval

^{The proposed Metropolitan Park casino would redevelop Citi Field’s parking lots into a new resort in Queens. (Photo: Len Holsborg / Alamy)}

The Metropolitan Park proposal became the final downstate New York casino bid to earn approval from its Community Advisory Committee (CAC), moving forward via a unanimous 6-0 vote on Tuesday.

That decision puts Metropolitan Park on the list of four contenders for the three available downstate casino licenses, which will be awarded at the end of 2025.

Locals Celebrate Casino Approval After Mets Collapse

Metropolitan Park is being developed by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen in coordination with Hard Rock International. The project would transform the parking lots adjacent to Citi Field into a resort and public space.

The news comes shortly after a historic collapse by the New York Mets, who failed to make the MLB postseason after starting the year with a 45-24 record – a reversal of fortune that was referenced by local officials after the CAC vote. 

“While the Mets may not make the playoffs, we can consider this a home run for Citi Field and for Queens,” Queens Borough President Donovan J. Richards Jr. said after the vote.

While Metropolitan Park has generally enjoyed strong support from community organizations, the bid wasn’t without hiccups. State Senator Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) opposed the casino and refused to introduce a necessary parkland alienation bill that would reclassify the land for commercial use.

However, the developers sidestepped the issue when State Senator John Liu (D-Queens) agreed to sponsor the bill instead, as some of the relevant falls within his district. Ultimately, Ramos’ appointed CAC representative voted in favor of advancing the project to the Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB), which will determine the winning bids by December 1. 

Four Proposals Fighting for Three Licenses

The CAC process has narrowed the field of contenders for those licenses from eight to four. Three Manhattan bids – Caesars Palace Times Square, The Avenir, and Freedom Plaza – were all rejected by 4-2 votes in their respective CACs, as well as The Coney proposal on Coney Island.

That leaves Metropolitan Park to compete with MGM Empire City at Yonkers Raceway, Resorts World New York City, and Bally’s Bronx. 

The two racinos – Empire City and Resorts World NYC – are considered frontrunners to receive two of the licenses, as they are already established gaming facilities with the ability to quickly upgrade into full-scale casinos. 

Of the remaining two bids, Metropolitan Park has been considered the favorite by most pundits due to its greater community support, not to mention the various close calls and controversies that have surrounded the Bally’s bid. However, geography could also play a factor: Resorts World NYC is also in Queens, and the GFLB could question the wisdom of having two casinos within the same borough.

For now, however, the team behind Metropolitan Park expressed excitement for moving closer to achieving its ultimate goal.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to move forward in this process and be one step closer to making Metropolitan Park’s community-first vision a reality,” spokesperson Karl Rickett said in a statement.