Public Hearing Results in Split Opinion Over Coney Island Casino

The race to procure one of three New York casino licenses is intensifying in Coney Island.

A public hearing held by the city planning commission on Wednesday drew a large and mixed crowd with both supporters and critics. The former pointed to economic benefits as one reason to support the project, known as The Coney, while the latter expressed concerns over traffic and potential crime.

The project is one of numerous proposals that will go up for licensure later this year when New York Gov. Kathy Hochul makes the casino licenses available.

Pros and cons

The Coney Island casino proposal calls for a complex covering 1.3 million square feet. It would include a 353,000-square-foot gaming facility, a hotel, a convention center, retail space, a 20,000-square-foot food hall, more than 100,000 square feet of open rooftop space, and 1,500 parking spots. 

Estimates suggest the project would create 4,500 union construction jobs and 4,000 permanent hospitality jobs.

“[Coney Island] is the birthplace of the great American amusement park, the original entertainment district,” said Dan Kaplan, a senior partner at FXCollaborative who led the meeting. “[The project is] rooted in the history and spirit of Coney Island…[It would turn it] into a vibrant year-round destination.”

The Coney is supported by real estate development firm Thor Equities. It is partnered with Saratoga Casino Holdings, a family-owned, New York-based casino and hotel operator, the Chickasaw Nation, and hospitality company Legends.

"We have heard time and time again that Coney Island needs a project that provides year-round economic support while also lifting up the infrastructure in one of the most densely traveled areas of the community," Saratoga CEO Sam Gerrity previously said in a statement.

A path forward

Brooklyn Community Board 13 in January voted against The Coney’s application, 24-11, as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which has also been a sticking point for other casino applicants.

The Coney is one of four projects that must receive rezoning approval before their application can proceed. Another one headed by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, known as Metropolitan Park, recently made a breakthrough as it received approval for a rezoning in Queens.

Other projects seeking rezoning approval are happening in Hudson Yards and the Bronx.

A Coney Island Planning Commission spokesperson said that voters would decide on The Coney in the next six weeks. Their vote would then be reviewed by the City Council, which can ultimately decide to greenlight or reject the project before sending it up the chain.

All casino applications are due to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board in June.

The three licenses are expected to be awarded before the year ends.