Coney Island casino bid enters advisory review stage

Developers behind “The Coney,” a proposed $3.4 billion casino and entertainment complex in Brooklyn’s Coney Island, presented their plan this week to a local Community Advisory Committee (CAC) as part of the next phase in New York State’s process for awarding three downstate casino licenses.

Backed by Thor Equities, Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation’s Global Gaming Solutions, and Legends Hospitality, the project is competing with seven other proposals. In order to move forward, The Coney must receive at least four affirmative votes from its six-member committee by September 30.

Year-round destination with employment commitments

The proposed five-acre mixed-use development would include a 500-room hotel, a 2,400-seat entertainment venue, 20 restaurants, a convention center, and a casino. Construction is projected to begin in June 2026 and conclude by June 2029.

Peter McEneaney, executive vice president of Thor Equities, told the committee the project aims to address three local concerns: increasing employment, improving public safety, and making Coney Island a year-round destination rather than a seasonal attraction.

“Coney Island today has a 17% unemployment rate,” McEneaney said. “Seventeen percent. That’s four times the national average. And how do you solve that? The way to solve that is to create a mixed-use project.”

According to the developers, the project would create 4,000 construction jobs and 4,500 permanent positions. Global Gaming Solutions COO Paul Pippin added that the initiative would result in 9,000 union jobs, with a focus on local hiring. “We’re not looking just to place a Las Vegas-style casino in the middle of Coney Island. This project is much more than just the casino,” Pippin said.

Rendering of the Coney Island casino bid

Chickasaw Nation and Legends Hospitality behind project

Global Gaming Solutions, the gaming arm of the Chickasaw Nation and operator of Oklahoma’s WinStar World Casino, would oversee casino operations. Pippin emphasized the tribe’s development approach: “At GGS, we don’t just build casinos. We build economies, and we build them for and with the people in those communities.”

Legends Hospitality, a joint venture co-founded by the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys, would manage entertainment operations, including a year-round schedule for the 2,400-seat performance venue.

The developers pledged $75 million toward first responder and emergency services funding over the project’s first five years, along with a proposed $200 million community trust to fund local investments.

Community support and dissent

Project supporters said The Coney has conducted over 500 local meetings and received more than 600 letters of support and 10,000 signatures from area residents. Robert Cornegy Jr., a former city council member enlisted for community outreach, said, “For all intents and purposes, this is a community-backed proposal. I believe it’s a community-backed proposal.”

However, some residents and committee members raised objections. Concerns include potential traffic congestion, emergency evacuation logistics, and limited local employment impact.

“It’s going to bring 3,000 cars here a day and create a parking problem,” said resident Lucy Mujica Diaz. State Assembly member Alec Brook-Krasny added: “If you bring an additional million cars a day, then you have 50,000 people living here in jeopardy in case of emergency.”

CAC member Marissa Solomon also pressed the developers on diversity and hiring commitments. Citing figures that only 9% of jobs would go to Coney Island residents, she expressed skepticism about the partners’ executive-level diversity. Developers acknowledged the concerns and indicated that ongoing discussions could lead to adjustments.

The CAC review process will continue through September 30, including public hearings. Votes from each committee are expected to reflect local support rather than members’ personal views. The New York State Gaming Commission is anticipated to decide on the three available downstate licenses by December.

With Bally’s Bronx proposal receiving renewed consideration following a veto by Mayor Eric Adams, eight bids remain under review, setting up the stage for a competitive selection process. The Coney backers argue that if approved, their project would become the largest private investment in South Brooklyn to date. “It’s 100% financed and it’s shovel-ready,” Pippin said. “But it’s so much more than just a casino.”