$8 billion project next to Citi Field depends on gaming license, officials say

A rendering of the proposed Metropolitan Park outside Citi Field. Credit: Metropolitan Park

By Laura Albaneselaura.albanese@newsday.com @AlbaneseLauraUpdated March 25, 2025 8:06 pm

The $8 billion development plan backed by Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock Entertainment to build a sports and entertainment complex next to Citi Field is contingent on securing one of the state's three available downstate gaming licenses, officials said on Tuesday.

The project, called Metropolitan Park, is a privately funded 50-acre development plan for the parking lot just west of the stadium. On March 12, the City Council voted 41-2 in favor of changing the zoning regulations, but one significant hurdle remains.

The gaming license is pivotal to fund the project, and without it, "none of it goes forward," a Metropolitan Park spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"If we don't get the gaming license, none of the zoning changes will go into effect — nothing," he said Tuesday.

A decision on the highly competitive licenses is expected when the Gaming Commission meets in December.

Bidders for the three licenses also include Las Vegas Sands and RXT Realty at Nassau Coliseum, as well as the existing MGM Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway and Resorts World NYC Casino at Aqueduct Raceway.

If the Metropolitan Park plan gets the license, construction could begin in January.

Additionally, Cohen will need to get approval from the State Legislature to build in the area, which is currently designated as public parkland — a move that’s been opposed by State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who oversees the Willets Point area.

“Throughout the process we’ve had in terms of the town halls we held, the online survey we did, the poll that we did, three-quarters of my neighbors don’t want a casino in their backyard,” Ramos (D-Jackson Heights) told Newsday Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of concern over the city’s neglect along Roosevelt Avenue and many people feel that if Roosevelt Avenue were to end in a casino it wouldn’t make the situation better,” she said. “There are concerns about the lack of greenspace. Jackson Heights and our general area happens to be the council district with the least amount of park space per capita in the City of New York, so it doesn’t necessarily jive with a lot of climate goals."

“I am in the very same place that I have been for a while back,” Ramos said.

Metropolitan Park officials said the six community boards surrounding the proposed development all voted in support of the project. The area being targeted — Flushing Meadows Corona Park — leaks into the boundaries of all six community boards. Local support is key as, even if Cohen is allowed use of the parkland, he’ll need approval from the local community advisory committee. Acquiring a license from the Gaming Commission will be the final piece.

Metropolitan Park would include 25 acres of public park space, a casino, hotels, a food hall, athletic fields, a public plaza and a concert venue. The food hall, named Taste of Queens, will include 20 stalls and will only be occupied by Queens-based small business restaurants, the representative said. There is also a plan to reintroduce the nearby ferry dock that was destroyed during Superstorm Sandy, allowing for the resumption of ferry service in Flushing Bay.

The No. 7 train station will also be revamped to be more accessible to those with strollers and disabilities, with $1 billion getting earmarked to improve traffic and parking, according to the Metropolitan Park official. It’s expected to create 23,000 union jobs, the official said, and will create a sporting hub in conjunction with the nearby Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Etihad Park, the soccer stadium which is currently under construction and will be the new home of New York City FC.

If all approvals are obtained, it will take about four years to complete, the official said.

“We have incredible support,” the official said. “I think we’re putting our best foot forward because the investment Steve and Hard Rock are willing to make . . . We’re going to do something truly transformative this year —literally a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform this area, so we’re cautiously optimistic. I don’t take anything for granted.”

With Keshia Clukey