Poker Writer
Odds for the Hard Rock Metropolitan Park proposal in New York are now looking favorable following the shutdown of the Caesars Times Square casino bid earlier this week.
Long considered one of the frontrunners, an advisory committee rejected the Caesars Times Square bid with a 4-2 vote after significant opposition from the Broadway theater industry. A less ballyhooed Manhattan-based bid, Avenir at Hudson Yards, was also rejected.
That has changed the odds significantly for other top contenders, as several could benefit.
Two of the other strong candidates are the MGM Empire City (Yonkers) bid and Resorts World NYC. Now likely joining those two as a third viable candidate is the Hard Rock Metropolitan Park proposal, headed by Mets owner Steve Cohen.
MGM and Resorts World have an advantage in that they already exist as successful parlor slots. There is no local opposition to their building plans that the other bids must face. While neither bid has the “wow factor” of the other bids, their chances went up when the flashy Manhattan ones were rejected.
Keep Reading
How the Hard Rock Met Bid Stacks Up
Cohen’s Hard Rock Metropolitan Park project will now emerge as the likely strongest contender alongside the two favorites. Cohen’s bid may be behind the two but it is well ahead of the other remaining bids.
Up to three licenses will be awarded.
“The Coney” in Brooklyn does not have the same support as the Cohen bid. Meanwhile, the last remaining Manhattan bid, Freedom Plaza, is considered a longshot due to strong neighborhood resistance.
Former N.Y. State Racing & Wagering Board Chair John Sabini said Cohen’s bid is a leader:
Steve Cohen’s proposal is the strongest contender — by a pretty large margin.
The complex in Flushing, next to the Mets’ Citi Field, is projected to be a bid worth $8 billion. The casino is only a part of the overall Metropolitan Park bid. The proposal also includes a hotel, parking garages, a convention center, a live music venue, and a food hall.
Answers may come soon. A community advisory board will issue a vote on the proposal by the end of September.
