The Cohen–Hard Rock team says the pre-development pact for the Citi Field parking lot now includes the USTA’s required lease protections, and the USTA said the city added the language it sought and that it looks forward to welcoming the casino as a neighbor. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Nancy Bannon on Friday temporarily barred any new city agreement for the lot that lacked the U.S. Open superiority clause, prompting the revised deal. The Gaming Facility Location Board toured the three remaining bids on Monday — Bally’s at Ferry Point in the Bronx, Resorts World at Aqueduct, and Metropolitan Park next to Citi Field — with formal recommendations set for Dec. 1 and final licenses to be ratified by year’s end. Resorts World told the board it could begin table games by March 30 if awarded a license, highlighting a faster launch than ground-up proposals. Opponents rallied in Queens against the Citi Field plan, while project backers continued to tout promised upgrades, including about $1.75 billion in transit and parking improvements.
