The Coney project is dead
Three CAC members entered Monday’s meeting having previously declared their intent to vote “No,” giving the project a near-impossibility of reaching the majority vote it needed to move forward.
City Councilmember Justin Brannan, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton were joined by Marissa Solomon in voting against the project. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams voted “Yes.”
“[Coney Island is] an irreplaceable treasure and I hope that we continue to recognize what unique and valuable place that Coney Island is and that Coney Island both receive the investments that people in the community really need and that we can also protect, preserve, and grow the Coney Island amusement area and make sure Coney Island remains the people’s playground,” said Solomon.
Solomon’s comments reflected the concerns many residents express about a casino. They cited fears over increases in crime, congestion, and traffic, all of which would reshape the typical way of life throughout the Island.
Those feelings superseded the potentially positive economic impact estimated by the casino’s leadership, who promised to deliver career opportunities to a community facing 17 percent unemployment.
"People have literally died waiting for an ambulance,” Brighton Beach resident Ida Sanoff said during a previous public hearing for the casino. “They just can't get around the geography problem. The infrastructure is outdated. The electrical system is outdated.”
The $3.4 billion project, led by Thor Equities, is now out of contention for one of three casino operators’ licenses that will be made available by Gov. Hochul before the end of the year.
Bally’s Bronx gets a crucial vote
Over in the Bronx, Bally’s controversial $4 billion casino project was approved for a final review.
The proposal almost met its end over the summer, when a zoning plan omitted the casino from its details. However, Mayor Adams vetoed the plan, allowing the casino to rejoin the race for a license.
Bally’s Chairman, Soo Kim, also previously suggested that his group’s bid was being overlooked due to supposed ties to President Donald Trump. Bally’s purchased the lease to its Golf Links at Ferry Point from The Trump Organization for $60 million and will owe The Organization another $115 million if it lands an operator’s license.
Despite that, only one CAC member, Danielle Volpe, voted against the proposal.
“The Bronx needs meaningful economic development, but it should not come at the cost of exploiting our community and our borough,” she said. “What is being offered to us through this casino proposal is not worth the burden it would place on the Bronx.”
That contradicted the sentiments expressed by another member of the CAC.
“It is my judgment that support in the community exceeds opposition and that the benefits can outweigh harms,” said Lisa Sorin, a representative and the president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce.
If approved for a license for its 16-acre casino with a 600-room resort, Bally’s will deliver on a pledge of $27.5 million in annual community investments.
