A public hearing recently held by the city Planning Commission was attended by proponents and opponents of bringing a hotel and casino to iconic Coney Island, New York.
The Great Divide
Changes to communities, even those that are subtle, often serve as a divisive influence. The longer the issue goes on, the more intractable each side becomes. Thus, it is not surprising that the looming specter of a $3 billion hotel resort and casino would cause divergent and increasingly hostile opinions.
Naysayers of the project are many, including the owners of Coney Island’s historical landmark, the iconic 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel dubbed The Wonder Wheel.
“Casinos and amusements are not really a good mix. It’s oil and water,” said Dennis Vourderis, whose family owns the amusement park. “The Wonder Wheel is the heart of Coney Island. To alter that skyline and to change that just puts a knife in my heart.”
“You’ll be destroying the entire culture and 150-year history of Coney Island, replacing the one and only Coney Island with just another casino,” argued resident Marissa Solomon.
Reynoso’s Approval
The full Brooklyn Community Board 13 voted against The Coney’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application back in January. However, more recently, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso granted conditional approval of the project’s land-use proposal.
“We appreciate the Borough President’s careful review and conditional approval of our ULURP application. As we have said from the beginning, we are taking a community-first approach in developing this proposal, and we look forward to continued discussions with the Borough President and his team on how we can continue to enhance our bid so that it best meets the needs of Coney Island and Brooklyn,” a statement from The Coney read.
Economic Revival
But not everyone is opposed to The Coney, a joint project led by Thor Equities, the entity that owns the five-acre property at Surf and Stillwell Avenues, along with Saratoga Casino Holdings; the Chickasaw Nation’s business entity, Global Gaming Solutions; and Legends, a joint venture between the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys that has been designated as the casino’s entertainment partner.
Coney Island has become so seasonal and downtrodden that several businesses have been shuttered, including Applebee’s, Wahlburgers, and Kitchen 21, to name but a few. More recently, the Coney Island Taproom served its last adult beverage after 10 years in business.
The Benefits
Proponents argue that an economic boost is desperately needed and that a world-class resort and casino is precisely what the area needs. Tourism year-round and good jobs at good wages are what the backers of the project are touting. An estimated 4,500 union construction jobs and 4,000 permanent casino and hotel positions would be available to local residents.
Moreover, part of the allure would be a $200 million community trust fund that would be put into place by the casino developers. The 1.3-million-square-foot project would boast a rooftop public park that can be accessed without entering the casino. Convention space and concert venues would also add foot traffic and desperately needed spending to the economically disadvantaged area, according to proponents.
“For two years we have been speaking with the residents of Coney Island and Southern Brooklyn about the need for a project that creates careers, supports local businesses, and centers entertainment around the idea of a playground that is truly accessible to the people,” Saratoga Casino Holdings CEO Sam Gerrity said of the latest announcement.
