A New York City design panel postponed approval of the proposed casino at Citi Field in Queens following vocal opposition from local residents and activists during a meeting on Tuesday. The Public Design Commission, a nine-member body tasked with reviewing the visual and public access aspects of the project, unanimously agreed to table its decision, potentially delaying progress on the $8 billion Cohen-Hard Rock Metropolitan Park casino.

The commission’s role was limited to evaluating the casino’s design and site plans. However, opponents at the meeting raised broader concerns about gambling and the impact the development might have on the community. Many of those voicing objections included members of the Democratic Socialists of America and other local residents. Although the casino has already secured full state approval and a license from the New York State Gaming Commission in December 2025, the commission’s vote effectively paused the project’s next steps.

The casino complex, expected to open by 2030, will be located in the Flushing Meadows–Corona Park area near Citi Field. Plans call for a hotel, music venue, and improvements to pedestrian access along the Flushing Bay waterfront. The project follows legislative changes that reclassified portions of parkland established for the 1964 World’s Fair into commercial zones. Supporters say the development will bring thousands of jobs to the area and revitalize the neighborhood.

Six Queens community boards have voted in favor of the casino, highlighting local institutional backing. Yet a group of community activists remains strongly opposed, citing concerns over gambling’s social effects and the use of public parkland. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, a staunch advocate for the project, expressed frustration with the design panel’s decision to delay approval. He emphasized that the commission cannot block the casino from moving forward and warned against jeopardizing employment opportunities the project promises.

Representatives for the casino sought to minimize the impact of the postponement, though no timeline was provided for when the commission might revisit the design approval. With this development, the path forward now appears uncertain as parties on both sides weigh the community and economic implications of the ambitious casino proposal.