Passes ULURP with Overwhelming Community Support
Approved by 6 of 6 Community Boards, Queens Borough President, City Planning Commission and City Council
Queens, NY – Today, Metropolitan Park, the partnership between Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International, had its land use and rezoning proposals overwhelmingly approved by the New York City Council. The City Council vote is the final step of the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and reinforces Metropolitan Park’s overwhelming community support with all six Community Boards, the Borough President, and now City Council voting in favor of the project.
The City Council voted in support of Metropolitan Park 41-2, which follows yesterday’s 9-0 approval by the Land Use Committee, and the Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee 6 -0 vote. Throughout the ULURP process, Metropolitan Park has received unprecedented and overwhelming support including, the City Planning Commission’s 9-1 vote, Queens Borough President approval, and six out of six Community Boards approving Metropolitan Park with 83% of the all board members voting in favor of the project.
“The City Council heard the community loud and clear — they want Metropolitan Park. I’m proud to support this transformative project and help make it a reality for our district, for Queens, and for the entire city,” said Council Member Francisco Moya. “This project is about more than building a sports and entertainment park. It’s about creating meaningful job opportunities with 100% union jobs, investing back into our community, and elevating our local economy to unprecedented heights.”
“From the very beginning we have been focused on creating something the community can truly be proud of,” said New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. “Metropolitan Park will deliver 25 acres of vibrant public park space, 23,000 well-paying union jobs, and much-needed transit upgrades. It’s time the world’s greatest borough gets the investment it deserves.”
“We are grateful to the Queens community for embracing Hard Rock at Metropolitan Park,” said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International. “It is designed to be more than just a destination, it will be one of the most spectacular integrated resorts in the world featuring legendary entertainment, world class cuisine and amenities shaped by the very people who will get to enjoy it.”
Through New York City’s land use approvals process, the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), local elected and appointed officials have had the opportunity to review the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and approve the project’s proposed land use changes.
Elected Leaders across Queens are supporting Metropolitan Park including Borough President Donovan Richards who formally endorsed the project through the ULURP process, as well as Council Member Francisco Moya and Assemblymember Larinda Hooks.
Throughout the process, local community representatives have come out in force to voice their support. From leaders of local organizations and small business groups, to community activists, and local residents, more than 240 people spoke in support of Metropolitan Park at public ULURP hearings.
Beginning over four years ago, Steve Cohen and his partners at Hard Rock have engaged the community from the ground up – 16 community workshops, hundreds of meetings with local leaders, and tens of thousands of conversations with neighbors. The result is Metropolitan Park, a vision for the area that delivers on the priorities of local residents, and has earned significant community support. Two scientific polls by Schoen Cooperman Research in May 2023 and March 2024 found overwhelming support among Queens residents (78% and 80% respectively) for Metropolitan Park and its core features: public green space and recreation areas, thousands of good paying jobs, a Queens food hall with community space, improved public transit and a hotel with a live music venue, gaming and conference space.
About Metropolitan Park
Metropolitan Park, a sports and entertainment park, is a partnership between Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International. This $8 billion private investment will replace the 50 acres of parking lots around Citi Field with 25 acres of public park space and bring entertainment to the site 365 days of the year. Metropolitan Park will consist of a Hard Rock Hotel with restaurants, bars, and conference space, as well as a casino and sportsbook; state-of-the art live music venue featuring locally and internationally known artists, comedians, and entertainers and A Taste of Queens Food Hall. The project is expected to create 23,000 union jobs, provide improved public transit and parking infrastructure, including a transformed 7-line train station that would be made ADA accessible and a $1billion Community Benefits Agreement.
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