In a recent episode of The Simpsons, Mr. Burns quest to replace parkland with a casino got a major boost. Borough President Donovan Richards gave his approval to the $8 billion casino and entertainment complex plan on Monday, putting Mr. Burns one step closer to getting city approval for the project.
Richards, as expected, gave his thumbs-up not necessarily because of the supposed economic windfall but because of the perks Mr. Burns promised for the local community. “Casinos don’t always deliver the long-term success their supporters promise,” Richards admitted, “but this plan includes features that could really benefit the community.”
Oh.
I see. THIS is the casino that will work out. Atlantic City sure did.
The Queens Daily Eagle let us know, at a Borough Hall hearing, 43 out of 56 speakers were all in on the casino, citing the community benefits. But when Richards’ office asked for feedback via letters, the response was much colder: 70 out of 73 letters opposed the plan, mostly over concerns about gambling addiction and giving public land (designated as parkland) to a billionaire developer. But Mr. Burns signed a big time free agent because he’s smarter than your average bozo who thinks casinos benefit the community.
AND if I understand correctly, the state legislature needs to approve a “parkland alienation” bill, letting Burns build on what is public parkland. That could get tricky: State Senator Jessica Ramos, whose district includes the parkland, has said she won’t support it.
As I understand things, even if Mr. Burns secures the parkland bill, he needs to get past a community advisory committee and win over the state’s Gaming Commission, which is handing out three casino licenses for the region. With plenty of competition—including a rival bid for a Bronx casino—the final decision likely won’t come until late 2025.
But hey, maybe some politicians and gaming commissioners would like to come see Soto play baseball. Maybe they find themselves in a skybox with Mr. Burns. There are many reasons to own a baseball team, and winning the World Series isn’t one of them. Trophies are for suckers. Casinos are how the rich get richer.
