QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, November 9, 2023 Page 10
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P Queens casino in the park?
EDITORIAL
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e’re reluctantly coming around to Steve Cohen’s proposal for the Citi Field parking lot. Seeing a broad overhead schematic of the plan for the first time this week, we’ve gone from philosophically opposed to perhaps positive and cautiously optimistic. Look, the space is parkland by law, and that’s why we’ve been against building anything there. But it’s also, as Cohen loves to point out, “50 acres of asphalt.” The lot has spots for 7,500 cars, and we love to see Mets fans fill them up, but when the space is not utilized, it’s a barren wasteland. Not so under the billionaire team owner’s vision. Above all, Cohen wants a casino there. He’s hoping to get one of three licenses that will be going to downstate gambling — excuse us, gaming — operations. It’s a tall order. If he succeeds, he wants to create “Metropolitan Park,” a destination that would include the casino, a hotel, a live music venue, a food hall with Queens vendors and, crucially, 20 acres of open space. Supposedly you’ll have a nice environment through which to walk all the way to the bay if you wish. And there’ll be a better boardwalk between the Long Island Rail Road and subway stations. Where will all the cars go, you wonder? Into several
parking garages festooned with solar panels to appease the greenies (who already are voicing opposition to the plan). Cohen is required to retain those 7,500 spaces. You can find our story on the plan, including the schematic, in all of this week’s editions or at qchron.com. We like that the area would look a lot nicer. Unlike the city’s plans for Willets Point, on the other side of Citi Field, no one needs to be displaced to create Metropolitan Park — which we’re sure will be called Mets Park from the get-go. (Five-syllable words are not exactly in vogue today.) Maybe that’s part of the plan — though it won’t help win games. We also like that the project would create 15,000 jobs, between construction and “permanent” positions. While unemployment is not especially high, ideally everyone who wants a job should be able to get one. The more the better. The big question with all of this is what happens if Cohen does not get a casino license. Resorts World by Aqueduct likely will; could there really be two gambling meccas in Queens? We doubt it. And will state Sen. Jessica Ramos approve the necessary parkland alienation? So far she’s given no indication. This project is no sure thing, but it will be interesting to see how Cohen plays his hand.
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No Cuomo comeback Dear Editor: Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently has been making public appearances, as we predicted he would after he resigned from office in August 2021. He relied on the public’s short memory of the terrible blunder he made of allowing elderly patients sick with Covid to be placed in nursing homes causing thousands of deaths. At the time, he had available the Jacob Javits Center and a ship in the harbor to house Covid patients, which was never used, regrettably. He knew senior citizens were the most vulnerable, so to allow this to happen was really an abuse of power by the governor and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker. The idea that both men never paid a price for their action is unconscionable! But this we know for sure, Andrew Cuomo should never be elected to public office again. Our heart goes out to all the families. Thomas and Constance Dowd Oakland Gardens
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Accountable for Oct. 7 Dear Editor: Recently, the prime minister of Israel admitted, as the ultimate protector of the Israeli people, he should be held accountable for the massive security failure leading to Hamas’ ground © Copyright 2023 by MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor any part thereof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, recording or by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of the publishers. This copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. Reproduction of said advertisement or any part thereof without the express written permission of MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. is strictly prohibited. This publication will not be responsiblefor errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Bylined articles represent the sole opinion of the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of the QUEENS CHRONICLE. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising it deems objectionable. The Queens Chronicle is published weekly by Mark I Publications, Inc. at a subscription rate of $19 per year and out of state, $25 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid (USPS0013-572) at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mark I Publications, Inc., 71-19 80th St., Suite 8-201, Glendale, NY 11385.
Cambria’s arch win
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hanks to volunteer work by skilled laborers, the arches are golden again. No, we’re not talking about fast food. We’re talking about the Cambria Heights archways, a pair of quaint little landmarks dear to the community. With their wood frames and shingled roofs, they look much like the structures you’d see over an old-time wishing well, right at home in a fairy tale or Thomas Kinkade painting. At least they looked that way until Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012. It knocked one down, leaving only its brick base structures behind at the corner of 222nd Street and 115th Road. It stayed that way for 11 years. The other one remained, though its sturdiness came into question. Enter Laborers’ Local 1010. Providing the supplies itself, the union rebuilt the missing archway. The workers, area residents and City Councilwoman Nantasha Williams celebrated the job well done last week. The union plans to take care of the other one at a later time. Sometimes it’s the little things. Residents and volunteers together beautifying a community; no taxpayer funds needed. Kudos to Cambria Heights and Local 1010.
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incursion on Oct. 7. Yet, he announced any investigation into the cause of the massive security breach and the resulting answers will have to come after Israel achieves victory over Hamas. Before providing answers, however, he would like $10 billion from the United States now to help finance Israel’s war. Normally, when one is asked to finance a project, the financier should be given all the details related to a previous failure, particularly since Israel has the fourth-largest military in the world and is technologically sophisticated in intelligence and communications. Also, I’m sure the Israeli families in the villages who lost 1,400 loved ones would like to know now why it took several hours for the Israeli Defense Forces to come to their aid despite desperate cell phone calls; and the international families whose friends and relatives were killed or taken hostage from the outdoor concert would like to know now, with a terrorist organization on its borders, why Israel did not have better security at the event to prevent the
carnage and abductions. Finally, due to the worsening civilian humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Jews are now facing worldwide outrage. Is it possible that the prime minister will be too busy or reluctant to answer questions about his leadership failure after declaring victory over the 20,000 to 25,000 Hamas members (according to U.S. intelligence) and leveling much of Gaza? Whatever the result or how long it takes, those victims now suffering from the events related to the violent breach on Oct. 7 should hold the prime minister accountable, as he declared. Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens
No U.S. aid to Hamas Dear Editor: President Biden’s call to send $100 million of our tax dollars to Gaza for humanitarian relief is naive. Gaza is governed by Hamas. They are the same terrorists responsible for the loss of 1,400 murdered Israel citizens. This would be
