Coney Island is already home to one in all the largest gambling establishments on the earth – the rickety, picket and ancient Cyclone roller coaster – so the casino feels natural.
With that in mind, bidders for one in all the town’s few coveted casino licenses released their vision for what it will appear like on Friday.
A blinding recent Coney Casino and Hotel might be built just steps from Brooklyn’s famous boardwalk and beach, nestled between the long-lasting Cyclone and Wonder Wheel, renders show.
Right behind the casino, a sublime, glazed hotel with a multi-colored roof could be built. The plan also includes a gathering room.
The renders were released by a Coney Island consortium competing for one in all three licenses within the lower states, which incorporates developer Thor Equities, gaming operators Saratoga Casino Holdings, and The Chickasaw Nation and Legends, a sports and entertainment company co-owned by the Yankees.
The consortium also released a picture of the casino’s black and white logo: “The Coney Casino Resort & Resort Entertainment District. Brooklyn.
The gaming facility is each refreshed and blends seamlessly into the present Coney Island boardwalk, said Robert Cornegy, a former Brooklyn alderman who’s a consultant to the consortium.
“I’m pleased with the way in which the buildings mix into the promenade and streetscape,” said Cornegy.
He said the proposed casino, if approved, would supercharge the boardwalk – anchored at one end by the aquarium and at the opposite end by Cyclones Stadium, the house of the Mets minor league baseball team.
The casino can have a Las Vegas-like entertainment hall where visitors can see performances from top artists, while a close-by convention hall will provide event space for firms in South Brooklyn, which currently lacks a big venue.
He said the project can even help create more jobs within the Coney Island area.
“It’s our responsibility to provide economic development to underserved communities. Coney Casino does that,” said Cornegy.
Other gaming operators compete for one in all the three casino licenses within the lower states.
Gaming giant Bally’s is betting on the Bronx with a casino on the Trump Organization public golf course in Ferry Point.
Owners of the present arcades at Aqueduct Raceway in Ozone Park, Queens and Yonkers Racecourses – MGM’s Genting/Resorts World and Empire City – are expected to submit bids to expand their table gaming offerings.
Meanwhile, Mets owner Cohen is eyeing a casino near the team’s stadium in Flushing, Queens – potentially collaborating with Seminole Hard Rock. A 25,000-seat skilled football stadium can also be planned nearby.
Others planning bids to operate the casino include the Steve Ross-Related Corporations/Wynn Resorts partnership for Hudson Yards, the owner team of SL Green/Caesars Entertainment in Times Square, and a consortium searching for to create a Coney Island gaming center partnered by Legends, co-owned by the Yankees.