New York dealt its long-awaited hand on Monday, and Mets owner Steve Cohen walked away with the jackpot for his Citi Field Casino. The state’s Gaming Facility Location Board officially approved three downstate casino licenses, including Cohen’s $8 billion Metropolitan Park proposal next to Citi Field, ending years of suspense, lobbying, local protests, and political maneuvering.
For Queens, this means two new casinos:
- Resorts World in Jamaica, long considered a favorite to upgrade from racino to full-service casino.
- Metropolitan Park, Cohen’s massive entertainment-and-gaming district planned for Willets Point.
The third license heads to the Bronx for Bally’s, which is proposing a casino and hotel complex on the former Trump Ferry Point golf course, land the company now controls after taking over operations from the Trump Organization.
The Mets’ Big Gamble Pays Off For Citi Field Casino
Cohen’s casino ambitions weren’t exactly a secret. His Queens Future group and partner Hard Rock International poured serious resources into chasing the license, including more than $2 million in lobbying efforts, part of a record-smashing $138 million spent citywide last year by casino bidders hoping to win political support. That made casino developers some of the biggest spenders in New York’s lobbying universe, with Cohen leading the pack.
For perspective: six of the top ten lobbying spenders in New York City in 2024 were casino hopefuls. Resorts World shelled out nearly $1 million, Bally’s spent $900,000, and developers citywide hired more lobbyists than a Mets bullpen has mid-season relievers. One watchdog called it “a full-employment act for lobbyists.” Another noted that casino operators were “loading the dice” by hiring every operator in town.
Cohen’s roster alone featured a lineup of political veterans, former lawmakers, and strategists familiar with every inch of the Queens approval landscape, including figures who previously represented districts covering Willets Point and Citi Field. When it comes to building a casino, Cohen has shown he knows how to stack a team.
What Metropolitan Park Means for Queens
Now approved, Metropolitan Park moves one step closer to breaking ground. The $8 billion project promises gaming, hotels, new parkland, restaurants, entertainment space, and 23,000 union jobs. Cohen has pitched the district as a year-round destination and a missing piece in the Willets Point redevelopment puzzle, which already includes thousands of apartments, a new school, and the future home of New York’s first soccer stadium.
Cohen’s wealth and influence have made him a central character in the casino race. This is the same billionaire who pledged nearly $800 million to sign Juan Soto and gave $116 million to LaGuardia Community College. Now, his casino plan, which still needs final approval from the Gaming Commission, looks poised to reshape not just game days at Citi Field, but the entire neighborhood around it.
Bally’s, Resorts World Round Out the Winners
Resorts World will embark on a $5 billion expansion that adds hotel rooms, affordable housing, green space, and full casino operations.
Bally’s, whose leaders include several former Trump casino executives, will build a 500,000-square-foot complex on the city-owned Ferry Point golf site the company took over from the Trump Organization. That takeover set up a tidy $115 million payout for Trump’s company as part of the licensing transition.
The Long Road Ahead For Citi Field Casino
Despite the fanfare, Monday’s decision isn’t the finish line. The state Gaming Commission still must formally ratify the licenses, and local opponents continue to raise concerns about congestion, environmental impact, and public safety. But for now, Cohen’s casino dream has cleared its biggest hurdle.
And in a twist Mets fans know all too well: sometimes the most exciting action happens off the field.
Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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