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- Former Queens state senator Michael Gianaris joined Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park project as senior vice president of external relations.
- Gianaris faces a two-year state lobbying ban after voting to allow parkland use for the $8 billion development.
Former Queens state senator Michael Gianaris has joined Metropolitan Park as senior vice president of external relations, taking a senior role with the Steve Cohen-backed casino and entertainment project shortly after retiring from the legislature on Aug. 10.
The hire matters because Gianaris was a prominent Albany figure and previously supported legislation tied to the Queens development. Under state law, he cannot lobby his former legislative colleagues for two years, a restriction that puts added focus on what his role will include as the project moves forward.
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Park said Gianaris “will work with the community and other stakeholders as the project moves forward.” The Queens Eagle reported that he started the job last week.
Hire adds a former top Albany figure to the project
Gianaris served as a Queens state senator and was previously the State Senate Minority Leader. The source article says he supported Metropolitan Park even though his district did not include the Citi Field site where the project is planned.
Last year, he voted with 53 other senators to pass a bill allowing the use of legally designated parkland for the casino project. According to the report, lobbying records also show Gianaris had been lobbied by Cohen and Metropolitan Park, and Michael Sullivan gave him a $5,000 campaign donation.
Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York told the publication that this kind of post-office move is not unusual, describing it as part of a “revolving door” pattern that can raise public concerns. She also said Gianaris’ experience and contacts could make him a strong hire for the development team.
Metropolitan Park still targets a 2030 completion
Metropolitan Park is the roughly $8 billion casino-centered development planned near Citi Field in Queens. The article says the state’s Gaming Commission awarded Cohen a license to build the project in December.
The developers told state licensing officials they planned to begin constructing major elements in April, though the report notes the project had been running behind schedule earlier this summer and that officials have not yet held an official groundbreaking ceremony.
As of May, Metropolitan Park said it was still on pace for completion by 2030. The source article did not provide an updated construction timeline beyond that.
The project remains one of the most closely watched casino developments in New York, alongside bids involving Hard Rock, Resorts World New York City, and Bally’s.
Source: As reported by Ryan Schwach.
