FLUSHING — A new casino planned for a parking lot next to Citi Field could be the next economic boon for Queens or a generator of societal ills, according to Catholics interviewed about the project.
Mets owner Steve Cohen wants to build a Hard Rock casino and hotel on the spot formerly occupied by Shea Stadium — now a 50-acre pad of asphalt used for game-day parking.
Cohen’s plans call for an entertainment district called “Metropolitan Park,” which would infuse green spaces alongside the casino, a food hall, and a permanent soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club.
Proponents have estimated the project would cost about $8 billion and could generate 23,000 jobs in permanent labor and temporary construction work.
That’s good news for Jose Cedeño, 23, who is a professional soccer coach and a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in nearby Corona.
“We need these types of jobs in the communities,” he said. “I have friends just starting out, and this will be a huge opportunity for them, and we will have great parks to take our families on the weekends.
“It’s going to be a great step going forward for the community.”
But community is also what drives Aimee Rosato, a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Astoria, to oppose the casino. Rosato belongs to Jackson Heights Indivisible, part of the FED-UP Coalition, which includes other groups from Elmhurst, Corona, and Flushing.
“I think as Catholics, we have to make good economic choices, and economic structures like casinos are, at their base, predatory,” Rosato said.
Rosato highlighted a number of academic studies identified by the FED-UP Coalition that link casino proximities to nearby residents with “problem gambling,” such as gambling addictions.
For example, a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) asserted that burglary and violent crimes are higher over time in counties with casinos.
“When people move on to problem gambling, they are unable to support themselves or their families,” Rosato said.
The coalition is accelerating its opposition while state legislators in Albany consider bills that would authorize licenses for new gambling businesses. This is a competitive arena because there are more applicants than available licenses.
A year ago, Cohen’s plans seemed to have stalled.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who represents neighborhoods around Citi Field, declined to introduce legislation that would advance the project. Ramos is also a candidate for mayor.
But in late March of this year, State Sen. John Liu, who represents Fresh Meadows, Flushing, and Bayside, announced his support for the project. He pledged to introduce legislation which, if approved, would change zoning at the 50-acre spot from parkland to commercial.
The FED-UP coalition held a March 28 press conference to assail Liu’s casino support.
Alex Kaloyanides, also of Jackson Heights Indivisible, shared data from the American Psychological Association that claims 80% of a casino’s revenue comes from problem gamblers.
“Casinos,” Kaloyanides said, “have a long-proven history of preying upon the most vulnerable populations.”
He said young people, “especially boys and men,” are a susceptible group.
Alternatively, the coalition is promoting a different project called “Phoenix Meadows,” which would convert the area into parklands that could support sports, recreation, and paths for pedestrians and bicyclists.
However, Jose Palaguachi, another member of Our Lady of Sorrows, said he is excited about the possibility of a new casino near his home in Corona. The retired construction worker said he has traveled two hours to play slot machines at a New Jersey casino.
“It would be good for me,” Palaguachi said. “New Jersey is too far.”
Louis Herrera of Rego Park visits at Our Lady of Sorrows. He said that he sees pros and cons with the casino plans.
“On the issue for the economy, it’s good, it will create jobs,” Herrera said. “I drive a cab. When people get in the car, they express their concerns. A lot of people are out of work here.”
Conversely, he noted, a new entertainment district with a casino as its centerpiece will surely create more traffic in the area. That would seem good for a taxi driver, but not if he can’t get more customers because he’s stuck in traffic.
Still, Rosato said that while support for the casino grows, she still hopes it will be denied.
“I believe that in this Jubilee year, we’re called to be Pilgrims of Hope,” she said. “St. Augustine tells us that hope is seeing something wrong with the world and having the courage to take action to do something to fix it.”
