https://therealdeal.com/sponsored/th...of-the-puzzle/
For Coney Island, New York’s Casino License is the Missing Piece of the Puzzle
MAY 5, 2022
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For many years, Coney Island and the surrounding community have been looking for opportunity, investment and a chance at a better future. It’s not often that all these chances arrive in a single package, but that’s what the community is getting with the possibility of a brand new, year-round, gaming and entertainment venue. The proposal, led by Thor Equities Group, Saratoga Casino Holdings, Chickasaw Nation and Legends, will lead to a revitalization of Coney Island and begin a new future for the historic neighborhood.
Coney Island is a world-famous destination that has been a favorite summer retreat for more than a century. Now, with the neighborhood facing a series of unique challenges in recent years, a development anchored by a brand new hotel and convention center, a dozen new restaurants, an acre of new open space and a modern gaming and entertainment venue is just the push it needs to grow into a year-round entertainment destination for New Yorkers as well as conventioneers and vacationers. The Real Deal had an exclusive interview with Melissa Gliatta, COO at Thor Equities, to learn more about how her firm’s proposal will revitalize this slice of NYC history as well as the partners who will help bring it to fruition.
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The group’s plan taps into Coney’s history both distant and recent: in its earliest days, when Coney Island was seen as the fun and carefree alternative to the staid recreation available in Frederick Law Olmsted’s Central Park. Coney Island’s was focused on other types of entertainment, particularly those that catered to New Yorkers seeking a temporary escape from the Victorian social mores of the time, creating what Gliatta calls “a playground before we had a lot of playgrounds” that became world-famous for its Wonder Wheel and Luna Park. It was the kind of recreation that was affordable to all types of families.
A devastating string of fires ravaged many Coney Island beloved attractions in the 1940s. Though the area continued to draw seasonal crowds during the warmer months, revitalization efforts eventually hit a roadblock in the late 1970s. In recent years, the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy and the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have compounded the region’s struggles with issues like unemployment and aging infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the Coney Teamand Gliatta view this project as a crucial opportunity to rewrite Coney Island’s narrative for the modern age.
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The proposal for The Coney is designed to turn the neighborhood into a year-round entertainment destination. “We have better community safety when we have activation 365 days a year,” says Gliatta. “Right now, other than the summer months, foot traffic drops and local businesses struggle.” The proposal is anchored in a straightforward yet powerful premise: safer neighborhoods will be the result of reduced desolation and increased activity. From this foundation, every other facet of the plan falls into place. Central to this mission is the creation of meaningful career opportunities for local residents, both during the construction phase and after the completion of The Coney.
A project of this size and scope requires thousands of skilled professionals and as a result it will provide valuable employment and development opportunities for members of the community. By breathing new life into the area, The Coney will not only enhance safety but also foster a more dynamic and prosperous local economy for years to come. The plan has already found strong support among residents, with over 3000 locals signing on to support the proposal. “If we can’t figure out a way to grow careers in Coney Island,” says Gliatta, “this project won’t be successful.” The level of support the proposal has already garnered makes The Coney unique among the prominent casino proposals, many of which are facing significant pushback from residents.
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The Coney will also tap into another under-served market: conventions.
“One of the things that we believe New York City has really been missing is that tier two convention center,” explains Gliatta, “so we plan to have a convention space in our project.”
Transforming Coney Island into a year-round attraction involves drawing in visitors from all corners of the globe, and offering convention space is an integral part of achieving this goal. Not only will it make the area more attractive to global conventioneers, but it will also create exciting prospects for hosting local events such as graduation ceremonies and weddings.
Thanks to its reputation as a “worldwide brand name,” Coney Island, along with Brooklyn at large, has a distinct advantage in enticing conventions that may currently be hosted in other American cities boasting the convention facilities that New York City currently lacks. By capitalizing on this familiarity, The Coney is poised to become a prime location for hosting major events and bringing even more vibrancy to this iconic destination.
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https://www.playny.com/local-residen...sino-proposal/
The Coney Proposal Goes The Extra Mile To Reach Locals
Written By Matt Boecker
May 2, 2023
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Each downstate New York casino proposal has faced an abundance of backlash from community members. But one has a strong group of supporters, and it didn’t happen by chance.
The Coney Island casino proposal got 3,363 signatures from community members that support the downstate NY casino project. You’re probably thinking these came on a popular petition website like Change.org — well think again.
Former New York City council member Robert Cornegy is now a consultant for The Coney, and he knocked on more than 16,300 doors to discuss the casino proposal and get physical signatures from residents.
Momentum grew for a Coney Island casino proposal last October when sources told PlayNY that Thor Equities backed the intentions. Along with Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation and Legends.
“I was going door to door to residents and getting their input, which is kind of old school,” Cornegy told PlayNY. “But we believe it’s very reliable to go and actually talk to people individually, to not just get a signature, per se, but to get a sentiment that’s associated with that signature.”
Cornegy spoke to three groups of people when knocking on doors: homeowners, those living in New York City Housing Authority buildings and apartments, and business owners.
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Cornegy noted the importance of getting real feedback from residents by having face-to-face conversations.
“I believe it makes a difference in the overall project,” Cornegy said, “because what we got was what people wanted to see. What people were feeling about it. We got a lot of comments around what they perceive to be an investment in their area in particular.”
The community outreach efforts by the other downstate casino proposals have varied. But other groups have often tried connecting with the community by hosting meetings.
Cornegy believes only the most active members of a community attend meetings and voice their opinions, making them unrepresentative of the neighborhood as a whole. Instead, The Coney took a more grassroots approach.
“We believe that the true methodology to get the best snapshot is to go all over the community as opposed to inviting people in,” Cornegy said. “That’s about style, I think. Our style is wanting to have the maximum input of the community — not just get yeses and get signatures.”
The former council member added that knocking on doors prevents The Coney from controlling the environment and narrative in the same way hosting a meeting does. But that’s not a negative, as it allowed the group to build a more sustainable relationship with the community.
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When casinos are proposed in any area, residents’ most common fear is a spike in crime. Cornegy revealed the same is true among the Coney Island locals he spoke with.
But he’s in the camp that believes the addition of The Coney could actually decrease the crime levels in south Brooklyn.
“I kind of beat that back with the idea that as a crime prevention technique, in most large metropolitan areas in the country, they use lighting up areas and cleaning up areas as a crime prevention technique,” Cornegy said “Almost to say that the more people that are traversing a space, it de-escalates the crime because most criminals want to be where it’s dark – illegal activity can go unnoticed.”
Cornegy commented that many people formulate opinions on erroneous information. So speaking with residents in person allowed the group to set the record straight by providing facts and statistics, which opened up the minds of those opposing The Coney.
“What I’ve found is when I’ve had an opportunity, or the team has had an opportunity to actually present the project in its entirety, people have walked back a step or two,” Cornegy said. “Some people on the spot are like ‘Oh, I didn’t know that. That makes a world of difference, I look at this differently.’ And then some people, the majority of people, say ‘That makes a lot of sense, I’d like to hear more about the project.’”
Cornegy called to the old Syms Corporation slogan: ‘An educated consumer is our best customer’. He believes the same rings true for The Coney, and once the locals get on board, word of mouth will further promote the proposal.
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Cornegy’s dedication to The Coney stems from the potential upside it could bring to the area. Putting the actual casino aside, The Coney’s proposal calls for a hotel and convention center — you currently can’t find either of those things in south Brooklyn. Renderings for The Coney were released in March.
“This project has the potential to change the scope and scale of the community, in addition to adding jobs and opportunity and careers,” Cornegy said. “There’s this different distinction that should be made between jobs and careers. These are in some instances union jobs with union wages which propel people into the middle class and beyond.”
The groups backing The Coney believe this project could positively transform the lives of Brooklynites. This is the same neighborhood Cornegy was born and raised in. That’s why he’s incredibly passionate about advocating for The Coney.
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