Although it’s still a proposal, the developers behind a potential new Coney Island casino just unveiled fresh renderings of the project, showcasing a giant gambling destination that includes restaurants, a hotel and a concert venue, among plenty of other attractions.
Specifically, The Coney—as partners Saratoga Casino Holdings, Global Gaming Solutions, Legends and Thor Equities are planning on naming the new facility—will feature 90,000 square feet of meeting and events space, a public green area, a 500-room hotel, a concert venue with a 2,500-seat capacity and a bunch of high-end restaurants.
Talks about new casinos opening in NYC—including ones in Hudson Yards, on top of the U.N. in midtown Manhattan and in Times Square, courtesy of JAY-Z—have dominated conversations since a new downstate license became available in 2022.
The process is a long one, though: according to Brooklyn Paper, the partners need to first share their $3 billion plan with the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, request input from folks who live on Coney Island and then actually secure the necessary license by officials.
In an official statement made to Brooklyn Paper, Sam Gerrity, CEO of Saratoga Casino Holdings, revealed that the team has been speaking with locals about the benefits of the potential complex for quite some time now.
“For two years we have been speaking with the residents of Coney Island and Southern Brooklyn about the need for a project that creates careers, supports local businesses, and centers entertainment around the idea of a playground that is truly accessible to the people,” Gerrity said in a statement. “We have heard time and time again that Coney Island needs a project that provides year-round economic support while also lifting up the infrastructure in one of the most densely traveled areas of the community.”
According to the developers, the complex will bring almost 4,000 new jobs to the neighborhood.
Some of the project’s critics set up an anti-casino panel this past February. In the meeting, they argued that the project may lead to a “potential increase in crime and prostitution,” “fewer job opportunities than project developers have proposed” and the promotion of addictive gambling, reported Brooklyn Paper back then.
For what it’s worth, the developers have mentioned their intention to create an on-site resource center in an effort to prevent gaming addiction while fostering a fun environment for everyone to enjoy responsibly.
Whatever the case may be, New York seems to be poised to become the next great American gambling town—and we’re not sure how we feel about that.