In the heart of Queens, a transformative vision emerges—a casino hotel poised to beacon the borough into a new era of prosperity. Majestic in its promise, the dazzling prospect comes adorned with a munificent pledge by the venerable Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, who anticipates a bounty of $1 billion in community benefits, a gesture contingent upon the nod of approval from New York regulators.
A collaboration with the formidable Hard Rock International—borne from the Seminole Tribe’s enterprising spirit—the proposed Queens casino embodies more than the sum of its parts: a confluence of leisure and luxury, aiming to infuse the local economy with an influx of opportunity. This Thursday night, under the auspices of the New York Hall of Science’s town hall meeting, Cohen and his fellow visionaries will unveil their grand blueprint for the borough’s future.
“We have learned through three years of conversations with the people who live and work in Queens that serving the interests of the communities surrounding Citi Field must be at the center of this project,” declares Cohen, whose words are not merely rhetoric but a solemn vow to the people. Over $1 billion earmarked for benefits and transit improvement heralds his dedication to nurturing a shared vision—one of a community uplifted and united in pride.
Yet, amidst these auspicious tidings, dissent brews. A consortium of community groups, marshaled by the fervent voices at Flushing for Equitable Development and Urban Planning (FED UP), champions an alternative destiny—a verdant oasis in Willets Point, dovetailed with Citi Field’s existing parking expanse, standing in defiance of the proposed glitz and gambling soiree.
The battle for Willets Point’s soul is no trifling matter. The site, as though ensorcelled, has repelled development for generations, offering nothing more than asphalt to park our worldly carriages. For this land, tantalizingly untapped, to evolve beyond a mere vessel for vehicular repose, a legislative incantation is required—a spell not yet won in the heart of State Sen. Jessica Ramos.
Nonetheless, the Cohen crusade, under the banner of New Green Willets LLC, proffers an $8 billion panacea: an electromagnet for the collective human spirit. An entertainment district to rival the fabled courts of mirth, amidst swathes of green, beckons every Queens resident and visitor to partake in its bounty.
With a nod to Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen, the casino is envisioned as an economic lodestar, its comet’s tail promising careers, prosperity, and a tide to lift all boats. And already, whispers of how the billion-dollar largess might unfurl tease at the imagination: a health clinic in East Elmhurst, a bulwark for youth and elders in Corona, and a sanctuary tackling addiction and mental tribulations in Flushing.
The Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens have added their voices to the chorus affirming this vision. Yet, as the borough holds its breath, the fates dally. With hopeful eyes set upon the year’s end for the ceremonial granting of casino permits, some say patience must yet prevail—a vigil possibly stretching into 2025’s embrace.
