Coney Island Casino Bid Appears Dead in the Water

by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper

The Coney Island casino proposal on Monday appeared poised to fail as two-thirds of the Community Advisory Committee said they would vote against the project.

Council Member Justin Brannan, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and state Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton will vote “no” on The Coney, they announced in separate statements on September 22. Marissa Solomon, who was appointed to the CAC by Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, will also vote “no,” she told Brooklyn Paper.

If the four follow through on their statements at the yet-to-be-scheduled final CAC vote, The Coney’s bid will be finished. The project would need four out of six CAC members to vote “yes” to move forward to the next stage. Two other CAC members, Alex Sommer and Portia Henry — appointed by Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, respectively — have not spoken out about their votes.

The Coney declined to comment.

Brannan, the CAC chair, announced his decision early on Monday morning in a Brooklyn Paper op-ed.

“There are things we need in Coney Island, but a casino isn’t one of them,” he wrote. “And, let’s be real: Casinos exist to make money, not to fix our aging infrastructure or lift families out of poverty.”

In June, Brannan voted in favor of a rezoning that would have allowed The Coney, if approved, to build larger towers and demap part of a local street. At the time, he said it was not “up to me alone” to decide whether or not the casino should be built.

“It is my responsibility to ensure that all stakeholders have the opportunity to make their voices heard on this matter through the Community Advisory Committee process mandated by New York State,” Brannan said in June. “Then all of the local elected officials can make a decision collectively.”

Developers said The Coney, a 1.6-million-square-foot facility with gaming, a hotel, convention center, and more — would provide thousands of jobs and create year-round economic opportunity in a neighborhood dependent on summertime tourism. The Coney had pledged to create a $200 million community trust fund, invest $75 million in local public safety initiatives, and help fund construction of a theoretical Coney Island ferry station if it were approved for a state gaming license.

But locals were largely opposed to the project, fearing developers would not follow through on their promises and that the massive development would ruin local businesses, drive up rents, and erase the neighborhood’s history and character. Across two contentious public hearings hosted by the CAC, roughly 140 speakers testified against The Coney, while about 61 spoke in support.

“After taking part in two public hearings regarding this application, reading countless testimonies, and meeting with and hearing from my constituents about their thoughts, perspectives, and concerns regarding this application, I have decided to vote in opposition,” Scarcella-Spanton said in a statement.

Reynoso said The Coney had “failed to prove itself as a public good.”

“The proposal is deeply unimpressive and unresponsive to the needs, desires, and rich history of the Coney Island community,” he said. “Quite simply, it will not improve conditions for the Brooklynites who call Coney Island home.”

Solomon, who, along with Brook-Krasny, has been critical of The Coney for months, said it was the CAC’s responsibility to “give the applicant a fair hearing.”

“I feel that we have done that both in the CAC process and, prior to that, in the land use process, and have reviewed their proposal thoroughly,” she said. “As is evident by the other statements, this is a project that just does not fit in this neighborhood, and the overwhelming majority of people here, it’s been very clear, have been opposed to this for a long time.”

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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