Opponents of the proposed Metropolitan Park casino in Queens have filed a lawsuit to overturn the New York license issued for the project.
The lawsuit says that state regulators approved the development despite an unfair public process and unresolved integrity concerns involving the applicants.
Opponents filed the lawsuit on March 20 in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. The case is Bernadette McCrann et al v. New York State Gaming Commission.
It targets the license granted by the New York State Gaming Commission on Dec. 15, 2025, for a casino and hotel complex planned for 78 acres, including land that had been part of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Members of the Queens Anti-Casino Coalition and local residents say officials rigged the licensing process. They argue it was tilted in favor of developers and denied opponents a meaningful opportunity to be heard.
Critics say the project will worsen problem gambling in New York City. The brick-and-mortar casino controversy comes as the state considers regulations to rein in online sports betting.
Lawsuit Alleges Biased Public Hearings
According to the complaint, the public hearings held by the Community Advisory Committee for Metropolitan Park were unfair and did not comply with the law.
Opponents say the hearings were significantly shorter than those held for other casino proposals. The hearing time was reportedly reduced from three hours to two, with conflicting public notices. They also allege that Assembly Member Larinda Hooks, who chaired the hearings, shortened them even further.
Casino opponents argue that Hooks should not have chaired the hearings at all because she supported the Metropolitan Park proposal. Opponents also say that she accepted campaign contributions from Mets owner Steve Cohen, the project’s main backer.
The lawsuit claims the Gaming Commission knew about these concerns because members of the public had raised them directly, yet the agency still moved forward and approved the license.
Questions Raised About Steve Cohen and Hard Rock
The legal challenge also argues that the Gaming Commission failed to properly assess the applicants’ character, as required by law.
The lawsuit points to Cohen’s connection to SAC Capital Advisors, which pleaded guilty in 2014 in an insider-trading case and paid a $1.8 billion penalty.
It also cites reports that Hard Rock International fired an executive in 2025 following an internal investigation into allegations of money laundering.
Opponents say those issues should have triggered greater scrutiny before the state approved one of the region’s gambling developments.
Plaintiffs Seek to Halt Construction
In addition to seeking to overturn the license in an Article 78 proceeding, the Queens casino lawsuit plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order to stop work on the project.
The planned development would cover about 18 acres and include hotel towers rising to 16 and 25 stories.
The case underscores that casino expansion fights are not just about combating allegedly misleading promises of jobs and tax revenue.
These struggles can also challenge whether politically connected developers can push gambling projects through public land disputes while local residents have few opportunities to object.
Imaged credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations / Modified by GamblingHarm.org
