No Casino in Coney Island!
Rumors of a massive, $200M gambling complex in Coney Island spread a couple of years ago. Those rumors are now coming closer to fruition, which has many saying no casino in Coney Island!
Who is behind the casino in Coney Island?
May of last year plans and pictures for “The Coney” were released, detailing the massive gambling complex proposed for Coney Island. Designed by FXCollaborative and developed by Saratoga Casino Holdings, Global Gaming Solutions, Legends, and Thor Equities, Coney Island is one among many New York City casino proposals vying for a downstate gambling license. It would feature an obligatory gambling den, a 32 story, 500-room hotel, a concert venue with 2,500 seats, world-class restaurants, 90,000 square feet of event space, and a public green space. The project would eliminate entire streets and blocks, forever changing the landscape.
The Coney Island we know and love.
Coney Island was thoroughly transformed into an incandescent fantasy land of mythic proportions between 1895 and 1925. The most amazing thing about it was that it was truly accessible to all, rich and poor. Sadly, little physical evidence remains of this wondrous place and time, yet the mystique of Coney Island persists. Artists and free thinkers call it home and strive to keep the spirit of Coney Island alive.
Most reading know that Coney Island is not the Coney Island of the early 20th Century. The boardwalk is decaying. There are problems with crime. It has always been a bit rough around the edges. In 2010 Coney Island received a major renovation when Astroland was rebranded as Luna Park, a throwback to the original. Old, rusting rides were replaced with modern, state-of-the-art ones that accommodate more riders. In addition to this, many chain stores and restaurants opened in the area, along with a brand new concert arena. Coney Island still struggles however.
The pros of casinos.
There are some obvious advantages to casinos. They are an immediate remedy for various ills. They create jobs. Construction workers are needed to build them and then employees are needed to manage and maintain them. Another thing casinos immediately do is pump money into the local economy. They obviously attract gamblers, but also attract people who aren’t necessarily interested in gambling. Everyone goes to casinos expecting good drinks and food. There is usually entertainment, such as bowling or live performances. There are also gifts and trinket shops. In the case of “The Coney” there would be high-end retail stores. These all would be a boon for Coney Island’s local economy.
The cons of casinos.
There are definite downsides. Firstly, gambling is a licentious, immoral business model. It is a pit that people willingly throw their money into in the pursuit of eventually “winning big”, which statistically is against anyone’s favor. Casinos count specifically on people not winning to sustain themselves. Gamblers often not only have gambling addictions, but a slew of others as well.
The consequences of gambling addictions are tremendous for some. According to Crown Financial Ministries “An estimated 23 million Americans are in debt due to gambling. As many as 750,000 young people aged 14-21 are addicted to gambling. The average loss of casino addicts is around $55,000.”
The negative impact of a casino in Coney Island.
It is difficult to quantify the corrosive impact of gambling on individuals and communities, but there definitely is one. Clearly, gamblers themselves suffer, as well as their family and friends. Coney Island has always had to contend with lascivious behaviors and crime since it first emerged as a recreational area. As previously stated, initially many jobs are created, but eventually it reaches its maximum and can offer no more. In the short term casinos provide a boost, but would the immediate benefits outweigh the cost to Coney Island’s safety, well-being, and reputation? Brooklynites.NYC says no casino in Coney Island for these reasons!
A complete disaster for urban design.
The problem Coney Islanders face is familiar to Brooklynites.NYC. We reported on a local Windsor Terrace movement called Housing Not Highrises in a post from May 14, 2024. Windsor Terrace is a small, cozy neighborhood, so when developers proposed a 13-story high-rise many were outraged and some took action to stop it. Residents were bitter about the proposal for numerous reasons. Their key issue however were the size discrepancies. The typical Windsor Terrace home, which is no taller than three floors, would be dwarfed by an imposing, 13-story building. It would completely alter, for the worse, the pleasant, suburban feeling of Windsor Terrace.
Coney Island faces the same problem with a massive gambling complex. As previously stated, this complex would gobble up multiple streets and blocks. The 32-story hotel tower would loom over everything. This would destroy any sense of architectural continuity. Next what would happen is developers would show up saying “does the awkward skyline disappoint? We can fix that.” Pretty soon high rises would become the norm, which is exactly how it has played out in many cities.
A casino would also be a disaster for the community. As mentioned previously, Coney Island is an enclave for artists and free thinkers. They keep the spirit of Coney Island alive. A gambling complex might completely decimate the local culture.
You think traffic on Surf Avenue is bad now? It will only get worse with a casino, attracting hoards of mentally unstable, in debt, irate drivers.
Have the Casino plans been dashed?
The land-use committee for Brooklyn’s Community Board 13 has potentially unleashed a death blow to the Thor Equities’ “The Coney”, by rejecting an application to close some local streets and purchase air rights to build high-rise towers and pedestrian bridges for the proposed casino.
“We don’t need more traffic, more gambling, more crime,” said committee member Angela Kravtchenko.
No casino in Coney Island.
Brooklynites.NYC cannot emphasize enough how opposed we are to a gambling complex in Coney Island. It would irrevocably destroy any sense of Coney Island’s remaining character and charm. It would be an eyesore for Coney Island’s skyline and would have an ultimately corrosive impact on generations to come. Yes, it would give a short-term relief to Coney Island citizens, but at what cost? No casino in Coney Island!
Coney Island was called the People’s Playground because it was for the people. “The Coney” would be for everyone but Coney Islanders or Brooklynites. It’s for the elites, who can fly away if it’s a failure. We will be left with the mess. Crime will not improve if a casino is built. What kind of environment evolves around a business that makes impulsivity and debauchery its platform?
What Coney Island needs is something innovative, not cynically profit-hungry and destructive. Coney Island needs something that will revitalize it. Has the brilliant mind who will do so been born yet? Are you here already?
As always I, and the team at Brooklynites, thank you for reading. Click back soon. <3
Sources:
https://www.crown.org/radio/crazy-money-gambling-and-debt/#:~:text=An%20estimated%2023%20million%20Americans,That’s%20sad%20and%20crazy!
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