Key Takeaways
- • Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International received final approval from the New York State Gaming Commission on December 15, 2025, for the $8.1B Metropolitan Park casino project adjacent to Citi Field in Queens, with a $500M initial licensing fee required.
- • The development will span 50 acres of existing Citi Field parking lots and is projected for completion in June 2030, featuring a Hard Rock Hotel with casino, sportsbook, 5,650-seat music venue, restaurants, and a Taste of Queens Food Hall.
- • Metropolitan Park is expected to generate 23,000 union jobs, $1B in community benefits, and 25 acres of public green space, with infrastructure improvements including an ADA-accessible renovated 7-line train station serving the development.
- • Cohen conditioned his commitment to the project on securing the casino license and intends Metropolitan Park to function as a year-round sports and entertainment destination comparable to The Battery Atlanta and Milwaukee's Deer District.
- • The sportsbook component requires separate MLB approval through the same regulatory process used by other stadium-adjacent sportsbooks, such as the Cubs' DraftKings partnership at Wrigley Field.
Summary
On December 15, 2025, the New York State Gaming Commission granted final approval to Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International for the Metropolitan Park casino project, marking a significant regulatory milestone for the $8.1B mixed-use development. The approval came amid broader authorization of three downstate New York casino licenses, with Bally's (Bronx) and Resorts World (Queens) also receiving licenses. Each of the three approved operators will pay an initial $500M licensing fee to the state.
The Metropolitan Park development encompasses 50 acres of parking lots currently surrounding Citi Field in Queens. The project will feature a Hard Rock Hotel with an integrated casino and sportsbook, dining venues, bars, a 5,650-seat concert and entertainment venue, and a Taste of Queens Food Hall. The development timeline targets completion in June 2030. Cohen stated that the community and Mets fans had consistently expressed the need for improvements in the area surrounding the ballpark, and that approval enables delivery of "the sports and entertainment district that our fans have been asking for."
Beyond gaming and hospitality amenities, Metropolitan Park includes substantial community and infrastructure components. The project will create 25 acres of public green space and is projected to generate 23,000 union jobs. Metropolitan Park officials cite $1B in community benefits and infrastructure improvements, including a fully renovated and ADA-accessible upgrade to the adjacent 7-line subway station. Cohen's strategic goal is to position the development as a year-round destination comparable to established sports and entertainment complexes such as The Battery in Atlanta, the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and Milwaukee's Deer District.
Cohen, with a net worth of $23B according to Forbes, had previously indicated he would not proceed with the project absent casino license approval, establishing the gaming component as essential to the overall vision. The sportsbook portion of the project will require separate formal approval from Major League Baseball, utilizing the same regulatory pathway that other MLB teams have employed for stadium-adjacent sportsbooks, including the Chicago Cubs' DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field.
The approval came following community protests, though the Gaming Commission voted unanimously to advance the three casino applications. The decision removes a critical regulatory obstacle and positions Cohen and Hard Rock to move forward with pre-development activities ahead of the projected 2030 opening.
The Metropolitan Park development encompasses 50 acres of parking lots currently surrounding Citi Field in Queens. The project will feature a Hard Rock Hotel with an integrated casino and sportsbook, dining venues, bars, a 5,650-seat concert and entertainment venue, and a Taste of Queens Food Hall. The development timeline targets completion in June 2030. Cohen stated that the community and Mets fans had consistently expressed the need for improvements in the area surrounding the ballpark, and that approval enables delivery of "the sports and entertainment district that our fans have been asking for."
Beyond gaming and hospitality amenities, Metropolitan Park includes substantial community and infrastructure components. The project will create 25 acres of public green space and is projected to generate 23,000 union jobs. Metropolitan Park officials cite $1B in community benefits and infrastructure improvements, including a fully renovated and ADA-accessible upgrade to the adjacent 7-line subway station. Cohen's strategic goal is to position the development as a year-round destination comparable to established sports and entertainment complexes such as The Battery in Atlanta, the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and Milwaukee's Deer District.
Cohen, with a net worth of $23B according to Forbes, had previously indicated he would not proceed with the project absent casino license approval, establishing the gaming component as essential to the overall vision. The sportsbook portion of the project will require separate formal approval from Major League Baseball, utilizing the same regulatory pathway that other MLB teams have employed for stadium-adjacent sportsbooks, including the Chicago Cubs' DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field.
The approval came following community protests, though the Gaming Commission voted unanimously to advance the three casino applications. The decision removes a critical regulatory obstacle and positions Cohen and Hard Rock to move forward with pre-development activities ahead of the projected 2030 opening.
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