Steve Cohen, the Mets’ boss, is rewriting the playbook for what it means to be a modern team owner. More than being just a businessman calling the shots, he’s positioning himself as a visionary, a community architect with a bigger game plan. His aim? Transform Citi Field from a ballpark into a year-round hotspot with investments in players, facilities, and the very neighborhood around it. But not everyone’s on board with his vision. Queens’ lawmaker Jessica Ramos is one of the loudest voices questioning whether Cohen’s so-called community project will truly benefit the people.
Cohen and his team have proposed ambitious plans to revitalize the area around Citi Field. Their vision includes entertainment complexes, infrastructure improvements, and local partnerships aimed at turning the ballpark into a year-round hub for Queens residents, not just a game-day destination. Sounds promising, right?
While she did try her best to stop a bill that would redesignate the lots around Citi Field from parkland to commercial use, it now seems inevitable. “I don’t know if I have the power to block that legislation,” Ramos said, looking helpless when talking with the New York Post. Why? Because, despite his reservations towards the bill, state Sen. John Liu, whose district includes a smaller slice of the site, has stepped in and agreed to introduce the bill.
“The project will have a negative influence on the lower-income constituents and senior citizens in her district.” So, what’s the issue here? Why is she projecting this project as a negative influence?
The opposition is coming primarily from grassroots community concerns. It is not personal politics or an anti-Cohen stance, but rather a response to what her constituents in Corona, Queens, have told her loud and clear. “No, we as taxpayers cannot afford for our seniors to gamble away their pension or social-security money because then we have to pony up [funds] to make sure they are taken care of,” Ramos said.
Hence, Ramos’s opposition isn’t just a “no” — it’s a call for a different vision of what Queens could become. While Steve Cohen sees the casino project as a civic investment, Ramos sees it as a potential disruption to a working-class community that already faces significant economic pressures. However, now that the bill has been introduced, let’s wait for what the community around Citi Field will become.
Cohen is pursuing the next Battery Atlanta
The Battery Atlanta is one of the most successful examples of how modern baseball teams are reimagining the ballpark experience. It transformed the place into a year-round entertainment destination that benefits both the team and the surrounding community. For the unversed, it is a mixed-use development adjacent to Truist Park, home of the Braves. It features restaurants, retail, bars, hotels, offices, apartments, and a concert venue. So yes, something more for the fans than just enjoying some home runs!
Now, by modeling it after The Battery Atlanta, Cohen isn’t just building around Citi Field — he’s trying to redefine what it means to go to a ballgame in New York. However, replicating Atlanta is something Cohen will find difficult to implement. Why so? The Battery Atlanta has been a massive success without relying on gambling. Cohen’s plan for Metropolitan Park mirrors much of The Battery — with green space, dining, live music, and more — but adds a casino.
Will this project impact the Mets’ contention?
Cohen’s vision is ambitious, yet there’s no doubt he sees the casino as a key revenue anchor over his investment in core baseball activities. In Atlanta, the plan united city leaders and fans, but in Queens, it’s the opposite. It is becoming a lightning rod, testing the limits of community-based development.
Ramos is helpless now, but it’s a good road to travel for Steve Cohen to implement his planned project. What’s your take on this project?
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