Overview
- The Community Advisory Committee for the Citi Field site voted 6-0 to advance Hard Rock and Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal.
- The $8 billion, privately financed plan would remake 50 acres of parking into a complex with a Hard Rock Hotel, a casino, a Queens Food Hall, a convention venue, upgraded rail facilities, and about 25 acres of public park space.
- The bid joins Resorts World New York City, MGM’s Empire City in Yonkers, and Bally’s Bronx as the four proposals moving to state review, with only three licenses available.
- Backers cite an estimated 23,000 union construction jobs and roughly 6,000 permanent positions, while local groups including the Flushing Workers’ Center are organizing protest marches this month.
- The project advanced after contested parkland legislation, with State Senator John Liu pushing rezoning that overcame earlier opposition from Senator Jessica Ramos.