Steve Cohen makes hardball pitch for support for $8 billion casino project next to Citi Field
By Social Links forCarl Campanile and Social Links forDorian Geiger
Published May 13, 2024, 11:46 p.m. ET
Hundreds of civic leaders, small business owners and residents rallied in Queens Monday to back Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $8 billion “Metropolitan Park” plan to build a casino complex project next to Citi Field — a hardball bid to woo resistant state Sen. Jessica Ramos to support the project.
Billionaire Cohen needs Ramos to move legislation in Albany to re-designate the parking lots and other property around the Mets ballpark from parkland to commercial use in order to bid on the project.
Ramos has refused to do so since Cohen made the request more than a year ago — and there are only a few more weeks remaining in the 2024 legislative session.
In a not-so-subtle move, the pro-casino rally, organized by the Coalition for Queens Advancement, was held in Diversity Park in Jackson Heights near Ramos’ district office.
Supporters chanted and carried signs saying, “We want jobs,” “We Deserve Nice Things,” “No More Asphalt,” “We want generational wealth” and “Moms for Metropolitan Park.
