Mets Owner Steve Cohen Reveals $8 Billion Plan for Casino Complex Near Citi Field; Requires State Approval

Project anticipates $130 billion economic impact over 30 years and 15,000 jobs; faces hurdles with rezoning and securing one of three rare casino licenses for downstate New York.

New York Mets owner, Steve Cohen, intends to invest $8 billion into a 50-acre casino, entertainment, and sports complex called Metropolitan Park near Citi Field in Queens, replacing the existing auto chop shops.
The complex will include a Hard Rock hotel, live music venue, gaming areas, green spaces, athletic fields, a renovated mass transit station, a Queens food hall, and improved infrastructure like bike paths and roads.
The investment is expected to generate an economic impact of $130 billion over the next 30 years and create about 15,000 jobs, both construction and permanent roles.
The project partners include Hard Rock International, SHoP architects, Field Operations landscape and urban design, and McKissack, a minority and women-owned design and construction firm.
The proposal faces significant challenges as the land is zoned for parkland, requiring approval from the New York State Legislature and state gaming regulations for commercial development and casino setup.
Cohen's proposal is competing with nearly a dozen other applicants for one of only three coveted state licenses to build a full-scale casino in downstate New York