Coney Island Community Board Land Use Committee Opposes $3B Casino
Posted on: January 16, 2025, 09:11h.
Last updated on: January 16, 2025, 10:03h.
The full Brooklyn community board that includes Coney Island where developers want to build a $3 billion casino resort will soon weigh in on the controversial project. A committee has already voted 7-2 in opposition.

Brooklyn’s Community Board 13 represents the neighborhoods of Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Gravesend, and Sea Gate. The advisory, like all 59 boards, makes recommendations to government officials regarding land-use and zoning matters.
Community boards are public bodies acting in advisory capacities only, meaning their opinions carry no official weight. However, the city councilors who field the community board recommendations often align their positions with the CB’s advice.
CB13’s Land Use Committee considered the casino proposal, The Coney, during its Wednesday night meeting. The committee voted 7-2, with one abstention, against recommending that the full Community Board embrace the Las Vegas-like casino venture on five acres of land at Surf and Stillwell avenues in the heart of the seaside town’s amusement district.
In a statement to Casino.org, The Coney development team said it remains “encouraged by the increasing number of community members and stakeholders who are supportive of the historic investment The Coney is prepared to make into the Coney Island community.”
It remains clear that the more people hear about our project, the more support it generates as evident by the divided initial advisory vote,” the release continued.
CB13 will reach its final recommendation to its city council representatives when the full general board votes on The Coney next Wednesday, January 22.
Opposition Despite Pledged Benefits
The Chickasaw Nation’s Global Gaming Solutions, upstate New York’s Saratoga Casino Holdings, Legends Hospitality Group, a joint venture between the New York Yankees and Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys, and global real estate firm Thor Equities are behind The Coney.
The development group seeks to revitalize Coney Island with a casino and entertainment destination that they say would create a year-round economy, thousands of union jobs that pay living wages, and lift the region as a whole via new infrastructure and other community benefits. The Coney team has pledged a $200 million community trust should it win one of the three downstate New York gaming licenses.
A $3 billion development, $200 million community trust fund, more than 4,500 good-paying union construction jobs, 4,000 full-time good paying operational union jobs, and the creation of a whole new slate of entertainment and dining options will revitalize Coney Island and turn it into the premiere year-round destination it deserves to be,” The Coney developers added. “As part of this ongoing process, we continue to receive helpful and constructive feedback that gets incorporated into our RFA and we look forward to continued discussions with the community.”
Coney Island could certainly use such a comeback. It’s been many decades since Manhattanites flocked to the Brooklyn seaside town in the summer months to frolic on the beaches and Boardwalk.
In the latest Commercial District Needs Assessment for Coney Island, a study carried out by the NYC Department of Small Business Services, the report said ongoing challenges include perceptions of poor safety, that Coney Island remains primarily a seasonal attraction where visitor numbers fluctuate greatly, and a high proportion of storefronts remain vacant.
Despite The Coney’s promised perks, it doesn’t appear likely that CB13 will vote to bring slot machines and table games to the neighborhood best known for a hot dog eating contest and amusement rides. In its 2025 District Needs newsletter, CB13 officials referenced previous opposition to the casino.
“The community came together for a community participation meeting in March and April 2023. At both meetings, the community residents were against the casino project. During the summer, the lobbyists reached out to local basketball clinics and sponsored many tournaments for the youth. At the time of this report, we do not know if Coney Island will be chosen as one of the locations and licensee in the metropolitan area,” the document read.
Earlier this month, Manhattan’s Community Board 4 voted against Related Cos. and Wynn Resorts’ $12 billion plan for Hudson Yards West.
Bidding Path
Bids for the three downstate casino concessions are due to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board by July 27, 2025. Projects only qualify for consideration by securing all entitlement processes, including land-use/zoning, and undergoing a State Environmental Quality Review.
Bids determined to qualify will then be appointed to a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of five to six members. The CAC must field two-thirds support to finalize the bid. CAC votes are required by Sept. 30, 2025.
The Gaming Facility Location Board will then review the finalists and pick the winners, which is scheduled for before Dec. 1, 2025.
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Last Comments ( 3 )
People are always waxing poetic about the "good old days," a simpler time, where kids could be kids, families had fun activities to do together (yet there was plenty for grown-ups), and where culture, art, music and community were valued and there was a strong sense of identity. Coney Island embodies all these ideals. Where else can you find a Mermaid Parade, an aquarium, a circus sideshow, a museum, and rides, rides, and more rides. And did I mention the beach? And the food? People from around the world flock to Coney Island to experience the magic. But now, some billionaire wants to ruin everybody's fun by replacing what's loved with a bunch of obnoxious casinos? I DON'T THINKS SO! We like Coney Island the way that it is. New York, America and the world like Coney Island the way that it is. Everywhere we look, wonderful places are disappearing before our eyes and being replaced by enormous warehouses, casinos and other eyesores. Let's put a stop to this before it starts. Let's preserve Coney Island - a living piece of Americana - for our children, our grandchildren, and for many generations to come. Say NO to the casinos. In fact, say FUGGEDABOUDIT!
You can go anywhere in the world and people will know about Coney Island. They will tell you about the beaches, the boardwalk, the aquarium, the amusements and the wonderful Sideshow. Coney Island is a magical place with a rich history. To the people who live there, families that go back generations, it is all that and more. It is schools, small businesses, houses of worship and community organizations. The residents are a unique tapestry of people who take pride in their community. Coney Island belongs to the people, not some billionaire developer who plans to tear up the streets, destroy historic properties, and build a monstrosity of a casino just to line his pockets. The greed is sickening. This casino has no place in Coney Island!!!
It's really funny how the casino developers are trying to spin a 7 to 2 loss at the community board. The casino company is quoted as saying, "It remains clear that the more people hear about our project, the more support it generates as evident by the divided initial advisory vote,” the release continued. Actually the more people hear about this project the more they are revolted by it. Nobody except the billionaire casino developer wants to replace Coney Island with a casino. When people see the renderings of how they want to build over Coney Island, with midtown Manhattan sized skyscrapers that would cast shadows over the amusement area, they are disgusted that someone would even think of such a horrible idea.