No Casino in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
In 2025, billionaire Steve Cohen announced his plan for a new casino in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, a community facing high rates of gambling addiction and rising rent. The community sought support from elected officials like Senator John Liu, who initially backed the opposition, but later sold out Flushing for a cut of the casino profits by voting to allow private development on City-owned parkland.
The community then rallied behind Senator Jessica Ramos, the only politician standing up against the casino, but Steve Cohen’s lobbyists spent over $850,000 in support of Senator Ramos’ opponent in the 2026 Democratic Primary. Senator Ramos ultimately lost her seat, but her campaign united working people against sellout politicians and the predatory casino. The fight against displacement and exploitation is far from over, but has instead grown citywide.
