State Sen. John Liu (D-Bayside) announced Sunday that he will introduce a bill in the Senate that could pave the way for approval and construction of Metropolitan Park, which includes a casino, in the parking lot at Citi Field.
Liu, at a press conference, said he will introduce a bill to alienate the parkland on which the parking lot sits, which is necessary before it can be conveyed for private use.
He also has secured a commitment from the project’s supporters to fund “Flushing Skypark,” a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that would span Flushing Creek and connect Downtown Flushing from 39th Avenue and College Point Boulevard to Willets Point.
Metropolitan Park is an $8 billion proposal backed by a consortium that includes New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International.
The plan for the 50-acre parking lot also includes a concert venue, hotel, food hall, renovation of the No. 7 subway station at Mets-Willets Point and a total of 25 acres of park space spanning both sides of Roosevelt Avenue.
Even if bills from Liu and Assemblywoman Larinda Hooks (D-Corona) pass in Albany, Cohen and his partners still must be granted one of the three downstate casino licenses expected to be awarded by the state Gaming Commission later this year to follow through on their plans.
“The Flushing community has long aspired to have greater access to our waterfront and the other side of Flushing Creek,” Liu said in a press release issued Sunday. “The Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard bridges cater to vehicular traffic but deter pedestrians and cyclists. The new Flushing Skypark will greatly enhance recreational and transportation options, and I am heartened by the sincere commitment of Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International to making it happen.”
Even if Skypark cannot be built, Liu said, they have committed to paying $100 million for capital improvements to the infrastructure of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. That funding, however, is still contingent on Metropolitan Park’s approval, a Cohen spokesman said.
“Senator Liu has been a champion for infrastructure and a lifelong advocate for Flushing,” Cohen said. “As an organization based in Willets Point, we shared the community’s concerns around connectivity, and recognized that the Skypark would be a great way to bring Queens together. Metropolitan Park is committed to working to make Flushing Skypark a reality. And if for any reason we cannot, then we will still follow through on our commitment to the community by dedicating $100 million to the betterment of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”
The commitment includes securing all regulatory approvals and the public and private money necessary to complete the project.
“As we continue our commitment to delivering world-class entertainment and hospitality, Hard Rock is proud to invest in and work to the future of Queens with Skypark,” said Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen. “We are thankful to Senator Liu for his leadership and we look forward to working to bring this transformative project to life. And should we be unable to, will otherwise commit $100 million to revitalize Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Should it come to fruition, Metropolitan Park will celebrate the rich culture and energy of Queens while creating thousands of jobs and unparalleled experiences for guests and the community alike.”
Liu’s bill appears to be an end run around opposition to Metropolitan Park by state Sen. and mayoral candidate Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights), in whose district Citi Field sits, and who has flatly opposed the casino. Liu’s district includes 12 acres of the project area, according to Cohen’s team.
“My position has not changed,” Ramos said Monday in an email from her office. “I cannot support a casino in Corona and am a definitive no on any alienation bill that goes against my neighbors’ wishes.”
The group Flushing for Equitable Development and Urban Planning, or FED UP, last Friday organized a protest against Metropolitan Park on the steps of the Flushing Library.
The group’s press release on Sunday recounted some of Liu’s past concerns about a casino.
“By agreeing to introduce legislation to alienate public parkland — despite the site being within the district of Senator Jessica Ramos, who has firmly opposed the casino — Liu is aligning himself with Cohen’s 14 lobbying firms rather than with his constituents, thr group said. “Liu has invited in a billionaire to prey on his own constituents, while displacing working people in Flushing and across Queens.”
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