A recently released study has concluded that most Coney Island residents are against the establishment of a proposed $3-billion integrated casino resort in close proximity to the iconic Riegelmann Boardwalk.
A 40-page report called “Public Engagement Report: Coney Island Casino Proposal” was released earlier this week by the office of the President of Brooklyn Borough, Antonio Reynoso. The report provides detailed opinions from over 200 residents of the area.
During the casino project review, the President of Brooklyn Borough kept his impartiality but he noted that about 75% of the received public comments (or three out of four people who took part in the survey) were against the resort’s establishment. As he revealed, the feedback received as part of the review raised some concerns regarding the potential adverse effects that could be inflicted on the local community, including increased traffic, crime, problem gambling, drug and alcohol use rates, etc. The community members who said they were against the project also shared their concerns that their property and business values might be reduced if a casino is situated closely nearby.
On March 6th, Mr. Reynoso hosted two sessions regarding public engagement with the casino resort project, as part of which he met directly with Coney Islands stakeholders and residents. As previously reported by CasinoGamesPro, the casino resort was proposed by a consortium led by Thor Equities, a real estate firm based in New York. The consortium, which has tabled a $3-billion integrated casino resort project called The Coney Island Casino and Resort to the Brooklyn Borough Government and Coney Island officials, also involves the Chickasaw Nation, Saratoga Casino Holdings, and Legends Hospitality.
The most recent blueprint of the planned casino and entertainment resort features a hotel, a casino, various retail shopping options, various dining options, and a one-acre public park.
Coney Island Casino Would Act as Economic Trigger for the Region, Project Proponents Claim
On the other hand, the supporters of the proposed casino resort cited the benefits that such a large project could bring to the local community, citing more jobs that could be opened locally due to the casino establishment. They also noted that, if the consortium manages to build the planned Coney Island Casino and Resort, Coney Island could become a destination that attracts visitors all year round.
As confirmed by Mr. Reynoso, the public engagement feedback has already been sent to the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board which is supposed to help the agency decide who would receive three downstate casino licenses. The President of Brooklyn Borough also noted that he hopes that the consortium formed to pursue the Coney Island integrated casino resort would take the feedback into account to improve its offer.
Coney Island has been suggested as one of the three downstate locations that may be handed a casino license. The proposed casino resort project, however, needs to get official approval from a newly-formed six-member Community Advisory Committee (CAC).
The Thor Equities consortium responded to the criticism by debuting a website to promote the potential benefits of its Coney Island casino resort for the Brooklyn community. According to the developers, a casino would become the new beacon of economic opportunity for New York. The casino proponents said that the project is expected to create thousands of new jobs and generate a fresh tax flow, and would act as an overall economic trigger for the region. As far as public feedback is concerned, the developers are set to take local residents’ opinions into account.
