(Flushing, NY, January 29, 2023) Save FMCP, a coalition of concerned groups and residents committed to protecting public parkland at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, has submitted the feedback received by the Gaming Commission in 2021 to the members of the Gaming Facility Location Board and has also made it publicly available. That feedback includes objections of civic groups to the Citi Field area as a potential casino site.
Although numerous civic organizations submitted written objections to the Gaming Commission in 2021 in response to its Request for Information, the Commission never prepared the report of the results of the RFI that was to be distributed to the state legislature and the governor. Save Flushing Meadows-Corona Park cannot presume that the Location Board members ever saw the written objections to the Citi Field area that were submitted in 2021. Therefore, we are providing those written responses directly to the Location Board members now and will continue to supply them with information as circumstances warrant.
So far, the Gaming Commission has appointed 3 members (out of a maximum 5) of the Gaming Facility Location Board: Quenia A. Abreu, Vicki L. Been, Esq., and Stuart Rabinowitz, Esq. With 3 members in place, the Location Board can issue a Request for Applications for casino licenses and did so on January 3.
Once casino license applications are received, those that survive the upcoming Community Advisory Committee process, and then obtain any necessary land use approvals, will be evaluated by the Location Board, which will eventually choose which of the remaining applicants receive casino licenses. (The Location Board's choices then go to the Gaming Commission for final approval.)
Save Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is writing to the Location Board to ensure it is aware at this early stage of strong opposition to siting a casino in the Citi Field area, and the reasons why. A downloadable copy of our letter with supporting documentation may be found here.