CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (PIX11) — Tempers rose outside of a community meeting set up to provide information and to solicit input from the local community about a proposed casino in Coney Island.
Some people outside of the YMCA in Coney Island expressed frustrations and concerns that the proposed gambling venue, hotel and entertainment complex will not live up to the economic promise that its developer claims. Meanwhile, some others said that the community should welcome the proposed new investment.
Both sides held up signs supporting their arguments, and at various times, they argued, sometimes boisterously, while police stood by, just in case.
There were two meetings on Monday — one in the morning, the other in the evening — organized by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. In the gathering, in the Coney Island YMCA gymnasium, signs and maps were displayed on easels laying out facts about the local community, and seeking comments about how a casino might affect various aspects of Coney Island: income, environmental conditions, public safety, and so on.
The borough president’s office asked for participants to write down their thoughts and concerns on post-it notes that the office had provided, and to stick the written notes on the display panels. The organizers said they’d go back and review the comments and compile them in a report in an ongoing effort to gauge community sentiment.
The format did not sit well with some of the attendees at the Monday morning gathering.
“We were limited to a sticker today,” said local resident and community activist Joe Packer, “which shows the kind of limitations they have for us, and the disdain they have for the community,” he said.
Other participants expressed strong concerns that the casino, proposed by developer Thor Equities, will make Coney Island a worse place to live.
“Money is gonna go in,” said local activist Ann Valdez. “Money is not gonna come out.”
Sharaya Means is another local resident, who’s concerned that the casino will ruin Coney Island. She said that crime is one of her concerns.
“These young boys are gonna go out and start stealing and robbing these people,” she said.
Thor Equities, the developer, has hired Robert Cornegy, a former City Council member who chaired the Committee on Small Business while he was on the council.
Cornegy said that the casino will take a community that has seen economic improvement in the past few decades, and improve it.
“Instead of having these seasonal jobs that are only a couple of months a year,” he said, referring to the fact that Coney Island is largely a spring through fall destination, “you can have those run 12 months a year, so employment will be up, including everyone in Coney Island.”
He added that the developer says it’s committed to letting its profits spread to other businesses in the community.
“People can actually get points in the casino to go and spend those dollars in the immediate community,” Cornegy said.
