On Monday, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for 'The Coney' casino rejected the proposal in a 4 to 2 vote, killing the project.
"The lingering nightmare is over!" said Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson. "Lies, pandering, misinformation, and outright bribery didn’t work for the proponents of the ill-conceived Coney casino. The project’s developers thought they could fool Coney Island fans, residents, and local elected officials with their deceitful proposal. The sickening display of ignorance and arrogance on the part of the developers finally fizzled out on Monday when a majority of CAC members soundly rejected the casino plan. Many thanks to the amazingly diverse and determined coalition of opponents who came together to get the word out, fight it, and defeat it. Good riddance and now on to the next chapter!"
After ten hours of public hearings and thousands of emails, NY City Councilman Justin Brannan, State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso voted 'No' along with Marissa Solomon, a community resident appointed by Assembly Member Alec Brook Krasny. Portia Henry and Alex Sommer, who were Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams appointees, voted 'Yes.'
"There are things we need in Coney Island, but a casino isn’t one of them," Councilman Justin Brannan wrote in an op-ed in the Brooklyn Paper. "And, let’s be real: casinos exist to make money, not to fix our aging infrastructure or lift families out of poverty. For surrounding businesses, the promise of eight million new customers should be welcome news. But everyone knows that a massive 37-acre casino complex wouldn’t complement our local economy — it would cannibalize it and swallow the People’s Playground whole."
State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said in a statement about her vote: "After engaging in dialogue with the applicants and reviewing their materials, and taking into consideration issues such as the proposed project's impact on public safety, transportation and congestion, gambling and substance abuse use, youth and older adults, and Coney Island's local businesses, and historic cultural landscape, I have concluded that The Coney's application would not be suitable for the proposed location."
"Over the course of months and months of engagement, The Coney has failed to prove itself as a public good," wrote Borough President Antonio Reynoso in a statement. "The proposal is deeply unimpressive and unresponsive to the needs, desires, and rich history of the Coney Island community. Quite simply, it will not improve conditions for the Brooklynites who call Coney Island home."
“I hope that we continue to recognize what a unique and valuable place that Coney Island is," said CAC member Marissa Solomon at the final vote hearing. "And that Coney Island can both receive the investments the people in the community really need, and that we can also protect, preserve and grow the Coney Island amusement area and make sure that Coney Island always remains what it always should be, The People’s Playground.”
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