On January 9th, Coney Island residents gathered to debate a proposal from a developer that would fundamentally alter the face and function of the People’s Playground.
At a public land use hearing held by Community Board 13 at the Coney Island YMCA, residents and business owners sounded off on the Coney, a project from Brooklyn developer Thor Equities and the Oklahoma-based Chickasaw Nation seeking to transform five acres of the iconic boardwalk into a massive complex housing a casino, a hotel, a convention center, and a music venue.
Clips posted across social media show a loud and heated stand-off at the Y. Advocates seem overwhelmingly pro-business, relishing the thought of year-round foot traffic to their bars, restaurants, and seaside tchotchke shops in an area reliant on seasonal tourism. They also claim the project, per the developer’s plans, would bring thousands of jobs to the area.
Opponents, on the other hand, appear focused on how a project of this scale would affect the day-to-day lives of those who actually live in Coney Island and already work there. The plan reportedly calls for the “demapping” (or effective privatization) of streets along Surf Avenue and the demolition and displacement of many rides and vendor spaces, according to a rendering of the proposal shared by Coney Island USA, a local non-profit arts organization leading the campaign against the proposed casino. “It’s clear to us that this is simply a catastrophic destruction of the entire neighborhood!” they wrote in a statement on Instagram.
The Coney is one of 11 casino proposals currently under review by the New York State Gaming Commission, which is set to approve as many as three casinos by the end of the year. But the proposals are not exactly winning over residents of the targeted neighborhoods.
Last month at Magen David Yeshiva High School, Mrs. Jennifer Cabasso’s Pre-AP Art class put together a coloring book featuring their designs. Mrs. Cabasso delivered the coloring books to the Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel as Hanukah gifts for the patients to enjoy. MDY is so proud of their students and Mrs. Cabasso for bringing joy to children who need it most!