Coney Island casino bid sparks sharp debate in NYC planning panel hearing

A public hearing Wednesday on plans to build a sprawling casino and entertainment complex on Coney Island exposed deep divisions among community members.

The hearing, held by the city planning commission, drew many supporters of the project, who said the area would benefit from the promised jobs, but also opponents, who expressed fears over increased traffic and disruption.

Dan Kaplan, a senior partner at FXCollaborative who led the presentation, said the project was “rooted in the history and spirit of Coney Island.”

“It is the birthplace of the great American amusement park, the original entertainment district,” said Kaplan, adding that a casino would transform the area from a “seasonal” tourist attraction “into a vibrant year-round destination.”

The project, dubbed The Coney, is backed by Thor Equities and other groups and is one of 11 projects vying for a downstate gaming license as part of a protracted process scheduled to conclude at the end of the year.

The 1.3 million-square-foot project, Kaplan said, would include a 353,000-square-foot gaming facility as well as a hotel, convention center and retail space. It would also include a 20,000-square-foot food hall featuring local vendors, more than 100,000 square feet of “open rooftop space” and 1,500 parking spaces.

It would generate 4,500 union construction jobs and another 4,000 permanent gaming and hospitality jobs, according to backers.

But the amenities did little to allay the concerns of critics who spoke up at the hearing, some of whom held up signs opposing the project.

Marissa Solomon, a resident of the nearby Luna Park Houses, said the project would bring “ an incredible increase in traffic noise, pollution and crime” to the area.

“ 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,” said Solomon.

However, many area residents spoke up in support of the project, arguing that low-income residents in particular would benefit.

“These youngsters and adults alike, they need jobs,” said Derick Latif Scott, who said he works with “high-risk individuals” in the neighborhood. “And who else is there to do it for them?” he asked.

Members of Brooklyn Community Board 13 voted against The Coney application in January. The 24-11 vote, coming early in the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure or ULURP process, is advisory.

The Coney Island project is one of four in New York City requiring local zoning approvals before proceeding with the state licensing process, according to the city planning commission. The others include projects in Hudson Yards and the Bronx, as well as Metropolitan Park, a project in Queens that received approval from the city council last week.

A spokesperson for the city planning commission said commissioners would vote on the Coney Island project in the next month and a half, after which it would be reviewed by the City Council.

Proposals to the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board, which oversees the casino siting process, are due in June, after which each project will be reviewed by a Community Advisory Committee made up of state and local officials. The board is expected to award three downstate licenses by the end of 2025.