The Gamble
It borders on the surreal sometimes with this team. Think about it: there's no money for anything. The Madoffs practically took everything the Wilpons own, forcing them to turn to the immortal LaTroy Hawkins for help. They were the last team to sign a free agent to a major league deal, and Shaun Marcum's $4 million deal remains the only major league deal they've signed anybody to this winter.
But they're going to build a f*cking casino?
The Mets’ owners want to roll the dice on building a Las Vegas-style casino next to Citi Field to recoup some of the $162 million for which team brass are still on the hook following the Bernie Madoff Ponzi-scheme debacle, plans obtained by The Post reveal.
Five guys off the street are playing the outfield but by all means ... build a casino.
While team owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz are still having trouble opening their tight pockets for high-priced free agents, that didn't stop their development arm, Sterling Equities, from betting on a proposal that called for bringing a massive casino with gaming tables and slots, a 500-room, full-service hotel, 1.8 million square feet of retail and other amenities to the Willets Point development site in Queens.
Never mind that there's already a casino in Queens, and it cost $510 million to build. And that's without the 500 room, full service hotel they want to add which will probably push the cost closer to a billion. And if they want a "Vegas-style" casino? There aren't enough banks in the world available to borrow from to build a billion dollar casino built by an ownership group that can't afford Cody Ross.
The Southampton-based Shinnecock Indian Nation signed on to operate the casino, and the Wilpons and partners even offered the city $100 million for the 62-acre site, according to the development team’s proposal, which was first obtained by project opponents Willets Point United and NYC Park Advocates.
So, is Fred Wilpon's real name "Chief Cooking Burger"? Because as the article clearly reminds us: live-dealer casino gambling is currently illegal in New York, except on tribal lands. Although Citi Field on an ancient burial ground would surely explain the last four seasons, wouldn't it?
“This will be a place about fun — for families, sports fans and thrill seekers alike,” the proposal says.
Because no families or sports fans are going to the place they had already built to bring them in, they have to build another one right next door. Solid business plan, Sparky.
I know this has no chance of happening ... between the amount of money they'll have to beg for in loans to build the place to the fact that not even Bud Selig is ridiculous enough to allow the owners of a baseball team to build a casino right next door. Never mind this tidbit: Who's going to want to stay in an integrated casino resort overlooking chop shops???
But hey, if this does happen, the Mets are paying Bobby Bonilla So have him deal some blackjack. Not like he doesn't have experience.
This was proposed back in 2011, and was already shot down. I have no idea why this is news again...
