A local advisory committee advanced Hard Rock’s proposal for a casino near Citi Field on Tuesday, the penultimate step for approval in what could be one of the nation’s highest-grossing casinos.
- Hard Rock’s $8-billion Citi Field casino project advanced to New York’s Gaming Facility Board, the final approval stage.
- Resorts World NYC and MGM’s Empire City are front-runners for two of the three available casino licenses.
- The casino would feature gaming, a sportsbook, and public parks and is projected to create 20,000 jobs and $30 billion in tax revenue.
The Metropolitan Park Community Advisory Committee (CAC) voted 6-0 to advance the proposal to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which must give the final approval of the project.
The Hard Rock-led Metropolitan Park Project is the fourth casino proposal to advance to the final stage. Four other proposals were rejected by their respective advisory committees. Several other proposals were pulled before a CAC vote.
The Gaming Facility Board can license no more than three casinos and is expected to announce its decision in December.
Genting’s Resorts World New York City near JFK Airport in Queens and MGM’s Empire City Casino in Yonkers are heavy favorites to earn two of the licenses. Both already offer slot gaming and horse racing and are equipped to offer extended table and dealer games shortly after earning licensure.
Bally’s casino proposal at Ferry Point golf course in The Bronx was the other advanced project. The Bally’s project was initially rejected by a local zoning board before the denial was vetoed by Mayor Eric Adams.
Hard Rock seems to be facing off against Bally’s for the final potential bid, assuming the Board awards all three licenses.
Resorts World is already the country’s highest-grossing casino of roughly 1,000 legal gaming facilities, a lead set to increase with expanded gaming options. Empire City and the potential third licensee will likely also be among the nation’s most lucrative gaming facilities.
Hard Rock Citi Field casino details
If approved, Hard Rock, in conjunction with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, would invest roughly $8 billion in a project that would transform parking lots near City Field into acres of public parks as well as a “Las Vegas-style” casino and entertainment district.
The casino and hotel would be the centerpiece of Metropolitan Park, located in what is now a Citi Field parking lot. The casino will feature a dedicated sportsbook along with slot machines as well as live dealer and table games.
The project calls for 25 acres of combined public park space and athletic fields. It would also build a food hall, transform the adjacent New York City subway station, and establish a live music venue.
Attendees at Tuesday’s Metropolitan Park meeting in Queens applauded after Tuesday’s 6-0 vote. Multiple board members touted the project as a way to revitalize the borough, noting it is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs.
The casino is expected to generate more than $30 billion in tax revenue over the next 30 years if approved.
The Gaming Facility Board is made up of New York academics and businesspeople with backgrounds in fiscal matters. The licensure decision is based primarily on economic activity and business development potential, including how the project maximizes revenue, jobs, and other benefits for the state and local municipalities.
Complicating Metropolitan Park’s bid is the likelihood of Resorts World earning a license. The existing facility is also located in Queens, less than 10 miles away from Citi Field. The board will have to consider how the casinos’ proximity could impact the state and the city’s casino-generated revenues.
Most New York City casinos rejected
The revenue potential of a casino in America’s most populated metro area attracted interest from virtually all U.S. major casino operators. Community opposition derailed most before they could receive Facility Board consideration.
Caesars and Wynn were among Las Vegas Strip operators that saw their plans for Manhattan casinos vehemently opposed by community figures. Caesars’ plan for a Times Square facility was rejected by its CAC, while strong neighborhood opposition to Wynn’s proposal for a casino along the High Line Park in Manhattan’s West Side led the company to pull its bid before a community vote.
The Avenir, a Rush Street-backed project near Hudson Yards, and Freedom Plaza near the UN Headquarters were other Manhattan bids rejected by their CACs, leaving the borough with a potential casino. A Coney Island casino bid in Brooklyn was also shot down by its CAC.
All 8 Community Advisory Committees have concluded their work, with 4 projects rejected & 4 advanced for consideration.
— NYS Gaming Commission (@NYSGamingComm) September 30, 2025
Rejected:
The Avenir
Caesars Palace Times Square
The Coney
Freedom Plaza
Advanced:
Bally’s Bronx
Metropolitan Park
MGM Empire City
Resorts World New York City
The CAC rejections came in contrast to the celebratory moods from community boards for the MGM, Resorts World and Hard Rock projects.
