From the low-income housing, to the overpolicing and homeless population, Coney Island has suffered economic neglect since being redlined in 1938. Nevertheless, the neighborhood is home to a diverse community of immigrants, boasting museums, parades, and attractions that draw global crowds. I grew up 15 minutes from the water; the fireworks, the Cyclone, Nathan’s, and the boardwalk are not only a symbol of Brooklyn’s vibrant culture, they are home.

In 2025, Thor Equities, the Chickasaw Nation and Saratoga Casino proposed the construction of “The Coney” casino, which would change the cultural and socioeconomic structure of Coney Island for decades to come. The $3 billion project would erect a gambling hub within walking distance of Luna Park and the low-income projects that surround it.

Eric Koch, the project’s spokesman, claimed,“The project’s revitalizing power will help drive a Coney Island comeback for a community that has lagged behind Brooklyn and the rest of New York City in several areas, including a higher poverty rate, unemployment rate, and higher rates of New Yorkers without health insurance.” Yet the developers ignored the likelihood of stoking gambling addictions, which introducing casinos to low-income areas has historically stoked.

The gambling industry in the United States rose above $72 billion in 2024, almost 70 percent of which was attributed to casinos. Simultaneously, there are an estimated 5-8 million Americans experiencing a concerning level of gambling addiction. Strong evidence shows that most of this population lives in low-income neighborhoods, exacerbating systemic issues of homelessness and unemployment for the neighborhoods at large. Like other addictions, gambling affects entire communities. I believe that children in Coney Island deserve better.

My parents and grandparents, who had lived for decades in South Brooklyn, moved to Las Vegas for the casinos before I was born. Gambling addiction ravaged their bank accounts and left my family reliant on government checks and Medicaid. I’ve experienced the generational damage of gambling addiction, so when I read the proposed casino in Coney Island, I felt enraged. Though, what sparked hope was seeing my community stand in opposition on a unified front.

Social media campaigns like noconeycasino and coneyislandersagainstacasino popped up on Instagram, posting videos of locals warning against gambling hubs. I witnessed young people informing the Community Advocacy Council of the addiction entrenching our community. They held fiery fists against proposed economic destruction of Coney Island’s residents. Coney Island USA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Coney, advocated against the casino in concern for the welfare of nearby residents. The group publicly rebuked their co-founder and former leader, Dick Zigun, for posting supportive content alongside the casino’s developers. Op-eds like Brooklyn Paper’s ”Coney Island is not for sale” and grassroots movements have made the wishes of the People’s Playground clear: we will not go down without a fight.

On Monday, September 29, 2025, the Community Advisory Board voted 4-2 in opposition to the casino, effectively squashing the bid and representing the unified power of Brooklynites. Justin Brannan, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Antonio Reynoso, and Marissa Solomon voted against the casino, while the two “yes” votes were committee members Portia Henry and Alex Sommer, who were appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, respectively.

A similar proposal for the Metropolitan Park Casino near Citi Field was just approved by the Community Advisory Council in Queens, 6-0 in support. Gambling bids in Yonkers and the Bronx have also advanced to final rounds of scrutiny. The development in the Bronx, led by entertainment company Bally, paid The Trump Organization $60 million dollars for the lease, masquerading as financial “self-sufficiency” for the borough. Evidently, there is a pattern of casino developments around downstate New York, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. Frustratingly, gambling hubs are emerging at a time when heightened cost-of-living and income inequity are pushing New Yorkers from their neighborhoods.

Some supporters of The Coney casino purport that Coney Island’s 17% unemployment rate demands redress and casinos are a logical next step. The casino was proposed alongside 4500 permanent jobs for locals, but ignored the context of generational addictions that would render this gambling project hazardous. Alternatively, in July 2024, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES) was awarded a $3.7 million grant from the US Department of HUD to expand Jobs-Plus services to Coney Island. This program would offer coaching for New York residents for job placement, representing a major first step to revitalizing the job market in Coney.

Coney Island has the potential to introduce climate resiliency, transportation, and construction projects that could employ residents without displacing the community through gentrification or gambling exploits. Skills-building programs like Jobs-Plus may progress this goal, but so will including the residents in local decision-making. It is crucial that progress prioritize the needs of the working class, and Coney Island is a stunning example of the People refusing to remain silent.

Coney Islanders’ fight represents more than opposition to a single casino. It was proof that when a community organizes, our voice carries louder than billion-dollar bids. Coney Island’s story is a reminder: the People’s Playground is not for sale.