Park, environment groups, Asian leaders angry; Cohen rep: community input vital Casino opponents protest in Flushing

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

A coalition of environmental groups, park preservationists and leaders in Flushing’s Asian community gathered outside the Flushing Library last Friday morning to protest the casino New York Mets owner Steve Cohen wants to build in the Citi Field parking lot.

The rally came just over two weeks after Cohen, on Feb. 21, released the compiled results of six visioning sessions at which people commented on what they would like to see happen to the 50 acres that used to be covered in part by Shea Stadium.

While the protesters would like to see the land repurposed, as would 98 percent of the people who responded at Cohen’s sessions, none of them wants the casino that the Mets owner has been lobbying for.

Gov. Hochul and the state plan to award three full casino licenses in or near New York City.

John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, sported a “Mets Fans Against the Casino” poster before and during the rally. He was among a handful of speakers from the Asian community who directly accused casino backers and supporters of targeting and stereotyping Asian residents as a demographic that enjoys gambling.

“Gov. Hochul wants to end the sale of menthol cigarettes because they target the AfricanAmerican and Latin communities,” Choe told the Chronicle just prior to the protest. “But when another predatory industry — gambling — targets our community in Flushing, no one raises an eyebrow.”

During the interview and later in his speech he called the promise of jobs and economic benefits from a casino “an illusion,” citing the crime and decay of Atlantic City, NJ, as an example.

Maggie Flanagan of Guardians of Flushing Bay was among many speakers who pointed out that the parking lot is on state parkland. Rebecca Pryor, the group’s executive director, pointed out that it sits in a wetland and flood plain area.

“If Steve Cohen doesn’t want it to be a parking lot, give it to the city and make it a real park,” she said before the rally. Flanagan said a casino would not likely help with measures that should be taken to address climate change and recent flooding problems that have struck the area in recent years.

And she said there is a difference between building a casino and having 50 acres of what now is largely impermeable asphalt.

“In a park, you expect to have some parking space,” Flanagan said. “But you can build rain gardens in a parking lot. You can plant trees and build bioswales. You can change to permeable pavement.”

During her talk, Flanagan said the site needs green infrastructure, “not the kind of green continued on page 24

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