Gov. Kathy Hochul insisted Thursday that she won’t aid Mets owner Steve Cohen’s bid for a coveted New York City casino license — after sources told The Post she intended to introduce legislation that would benefit the billionaire.
“There are people, shady people, who will try to manipulate the [casino bidding] process to their benefit and be willing to put out lies. I have had no intention of putting this in my executive budget,” the governor told reporters when asked if was going to bat for Cohen, one of her biggest donors.
Hochul’s denial came after The Post reported Wednesday that she planned to introduce legislation in the 2025 state budget that would broaden the permitted uses of city parkland for a gambling complex allowing Cohen to bid for a casino license.
When asked to comment for The Post story earlier this week, a Hochul spokesperson declined to say whether she intended 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.
After hearing Hochul might address Cohen’s land use problem in the state budget, the governor got immediate blowback from lawmakers, who said it looked like she was aiding the Cohen/Hard Rock $8 billion casino proposal near Citi Field in Queens.
“It’s a bad precedent,” said Joe Addabbo (D-Queens), who chairs the state Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, when first hearing of Hochul’s planned intervention.
“For the governor to get involved and favor one bidder over other bidders sets a dangerous precedent.”
A spokesperson for Cohen shot down accusations that Hochul was putting a thumb on the scale to help the Mets owner.
“Permitted use legislation doesn’t prejudge the gaming approval process in any way nor does it guarantee the project will move forward,” the spokesperson said.
“It is just the necessary first step towards putting forward a strategic vision for transforming the 50 acres of asphalt at Citi Field. Metropolitan Park will follow the same process as every other bid – ULURP [Uniform Land Use Review Procedure], Community Advisory Committee, Gaming Facility Location Board review, and final New York State Gaming Commission approval.”
Cohen and his wife, Alexandra, donated a combined $136,700 to the Hochul campaign in 2021, according to state records.
The hedge fund king 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.
The state Gaming Commission next year will issue up to three full-scale casino licenses in the New York City area.
Hochul’s apparent change of plans leaves Cohen’s bid in a pickle.
He needs the State Senate to introduce and pass a bill to give his bid with Hard Rock the authority to use the city lots around Citi Field to build the casino and entertainment complex over the wishes of Jessica Ramos, the local state senator, who opposes it.
Cohen’s bid is dead — can’t even move forward for consideration — without an alienation law, the taking of parkland for non-park use.
As is custom, legislators defer to a local representative when it comes to controversial projects in his or her district — and it’s highly unlikely the Senate would pass an alienation bill over Ramos’ objections.
For example, Amazon in 2019 pulled its plan to build an East Coast headquarters in Long Island City, in large part because of opposition from Queens State Senator Michael Gianaris, the deputy majority leader who represents the area.
