The $8 Billion Metropolitan Park Casino Project in Queens, NYC

Home ยป Projects ยป The $8 Billion Metropolitan Park Casino Project in Queens, NYC

Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, and Hard Rock International have unveiled renderings of their $8 billion casino project called Metropolitan Park in Queens, NYC. The project aims to transform acres of parking lots in Queens, an area F. Scott Fitzgerald once described as “the valley of ashes” in “The Great Gatsby.”

Cohen acquired a majority stake in the Mets in 2020, shortly before initiating efforts to build the casino.

If the state approves the Metropolitan Park casino proposal, Cohen and Hard Rock will redevelop acres of surface parking lots surrounding Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball franchise the New York Mets since 2009.

“It’s time the world’s greatest city got the sports and entertainment park it deserves,” Cohen stated. “When I bought this team, fans and the community kept saying we needed to do better. Metropolitan Park delivers on the promise of a shared space that people will not only want to come to and enjoy, but can be truly proud of.”

Currently, 50 acres of asphalt surround Citi Field. Cohen views the casino as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to develop these lots. Developers project that the proposal will create 23,000 union jobs at Metropolitan Park.

Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, stated, “We take great pride and the utmost care in bringing forth something that will create much-needed jobs and memories that will live on for generations to come.”

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The development will feature 25 acres of new public park space, public transit and infrastructure improvements,
The development will feature 25 acres of new public park space, public transit and infrastructure improvements.

Metropolitan Park to feature 25 acres of new public park space

The development will feature 25 acres of new public park space, public transit and infrastructure improvements, space for live music, a food hall, and a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with bars, restaurants and a sportsbook. The plan designates about five acres of the new park space for community athletic fields and playgrounds.

SHop Architects and Field Ops designed the park proposal for the casino-oriented development. The pair previously collaborated on the recently completed Domino Park in Williamsburg.

Cohen’s casino plans hit a snag when state Sen. Jessica Ramos refused to introduce state legislation to demap parts of Metropolitan Park to accommodate the new 78-acre development. As developers seek an alternative approach, they continue to work with New York City Planning Commission on local demapping and zoning issues.

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Metropolitan Park Casino in Queens, NYC Project Factsheet

Project Overview

Name: Metropolitan Park

Location: Queens, NYC

Site: Surrounding Citi Field, home of the New York Mets

Total Area: 78 acres

Estimated Cost: $8 billion

Key Stakeholders

Steve Cohen (New York Mets owner)

Hard Rock International

Designers:

SHop Architects

Field Ops

Metropolitan Park Project Key Components

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino

Bars

Restaurants

Sportsbook

Public Park Space (25 acres)

5 acres reserved for community athletic fields and playgrounds

Live Music Venue

Food Hall

Public Transit and Infrastructure Improvements

Economic Impact

Projected to create 23,000 union jobs

Metropolitan Park Casino Project in NYC Current Status

Renderings revealed

Seeking approvals for:

  • State casino license
  • Local land use changes

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