Gov. Kathy Hochul will go to bat for Mets owner Steve Cohen – one of the Democrat’s biggest donors – to help revive the billionaire’s all-but-dead bid for a coveted New York City casino license, The Post has learned.
Hochul plans to introduce legislation in the 2025 state budget that would broaden the permitted uses of city parkland for a gambling complex without going through a lengthy, bureaucratic rezoning process, according to a source close to the situation.
State lawmakers have used the Uniform Land-Use Reform Process (ULURP) to thwart Cohen and others from moving forward with their billion-dollar projects, citing concerns over the loss of public land to private ventures.
“The Governor is going to try to get all the land use issues for the casino license bids rolled into the budget,” the source, who is close to one of Cohen’s rival bidders, told The Post. “She is trying to stuff it in there.”
If Hochul’s proposal is approved, it would greatly increase Cohen’s chances of landing one of the three casino licenses in the metropolitan area that are expected to be handed out by the end of next year.
The hedge fund king has been a major benefactor to Hochul and the Democratic Party over the years.
He and his wife, Alexandra, donated a combined $136,700 to the Hochul campaign in 2021, according to state records.
Cohen, the founder of Point72 asset management, also was the biggest donor to the New York State Democratic Committee in its effort to gain control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming election, donating $235,000 from Jan. 1, 2023 to July 11, 2024, according to Gothamist.
A Hochul spokesperson declined to say whether she intends to add the new provision in the upcoming budget.
“Gov. Hochul will unveil her State of the State agenda in January,” the rep told The Post.
Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), chairman of the Assembly’s Racing and Wagering Committee, told The Post he would support eliminating the ULURP review for casino bids.
“If the governor puts it in her budget plan, I would not oppose it. I just want the process to move along.”
Cohen had seemingly struck out on his dream of building an $8 billion “Metropolitan Park” casino-entertainment complex in partnership with Hard Rock near Citi Field in Queens earlier this year.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, a progressive Democrat who represents the Flushing-Corona area – and who is now eyeing a potential run for mayor amid Eric Adams’ legal woes – refused to introduce a bill that would rezone the land.
She said her constituents are “desperate for green space, and recreation for the whole family” — not gambling.
“It would be unfortunate for the Governor to do this, breaking an important precedent. New Yorkers are yearning for real economic development,” Ramos told The Post on Wednesday.
Cohen has spent millions on a lobbying and charm offensive, including recently donating a staggering $116 million to CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College, and argued that Ramos should not have sole veto power over the project.
“The state never intended any one person to have the ability to single-handedly stop or approve a project, which is why this process is designed to engage the community and elected officials every step of the way,” a Cohen spokesman told The Post.
“We have plenty of time and other avenues to get this done and feel confident given the overwhelming support from elected officials, unions, and the local community, that we have the best overall project. We are all in.”
Cohen has been seen cozying up to Hochul in the past. They were spotted in a luxury box at Citi Field for a game against the Phillies last year.
“Wonderful seeing Governor @KathyHochul, @StevenACohen2, and everyone who came out to #CitiField in support,” tweeted Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz while posing for a photo with the pair, who both sported Mets caps.
One Albany insider told The Post at the time the meet-and-greet looked “terrible” for both Hochul and Cohen as it showed she might be partial to his bid for a gaming license.
But Cohen isn’t the only one who stands to benefit from the ULURP change.
Proposals for a Bally’s casino in Ferry Point, the Bronx, as well as the $12 billion Hudson Yards Related-Wynn project have all faced stiff opposition from local pols.
While three casino licenses will be handed out downstate, two were expected to go to the racinos at Aqueduct in Queens and Empire City in Yonkers.
However, the state’s Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer indicated last month that Genting-owned Resorts World at Aqueduct may no longer be a shoo-in.
O’Dwyer said he was concerned about allegations by the Nevada Gaming Commission that a known illegal bookmaker who was allegedly taking bets from baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was openly betting in the Resorts Casino in Las Vegas.
“These allegations in the complaint are particularly disturbing in that it alleges a culture of non-compliance in that information on illicit or suspicious activity was either negligently or worse fully disregarded to promote financial gain,” O’Dwyer said in the public meeting.
A New York state gaming commission insider told The Post that O’Dwyer raised the issue to send the message that there are “no favorites” in the selection process.
“If Genting doesn’t get a license, it’s a huge opportunity for Steve Cohen,” the source close to a rival suitor said. “There would not be an appetite for two Queens casinos.”