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Nearly 100 local residents rallied on Feb. 2 at the Village of Floral Park Recreational Center to show their opposition to plans for a casino at Belmont Park, which were recently proposed by the Shinnecock Indian Nation, who recently partnered with Detroit developer Michael Malik on the potential development project.
Despite the project’s delay, due to awaiting formal state and local approval — as well as a recent plan by Governor Cuomo to build a convention center at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, which would likely impede upon the Belmont plan if it comes to fruition — many Floral Park residents have been following it diligently, in opposition, in recent weeks. Village of Floral Park Mayor Tom Tweedy is among those in opposition.
The protest was a grassroots effort led by several Floral Park residents, including Ed Groshans and Duncan MacDonald, who are also members of a Facebook group entitled, “Stop the Belmont Casino.” According to Groshans, the potential casino development at Belmont — located on Floral Park’s border — would hurt local businesses and cause a hike in crime rates.
“The research is overwhelming” that gambling casinos reduce property values, paralyze roadways, increase crime, promote residential flight, threaten the mission of schools, and unleash air, light, noise and garbage pollution, said Groshans, a research director at a New York brokerage firm, who is leading the protest. “A casino at Belmont Park will be a catastrophe for Floral Park, Elmont and eastern Queens,” he said, adding that the coalition will target Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), due to their support for a casino at Belmont.
According to Groshans, the coalition has already sent thousands of letters, emails and phone calls to several Nassau County political leaders, and was instrumental in kindling the opposition to the casino plans currently held by the Village of Floral Park’s local government and civic associations.
