Coney Island took a step closer to adding a casino to its list of entertainment options.
Community Board 11, which covers Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend and Mapleton, voted in favor of one of the three potential New York State gaming licenses to go towards The Coney, a casino looking to be built in Coney Island, according to the Brooklyn Paper,
The vote came with conditions, including the community's input in reviewing traffic studies and the participation of southern Brooklyn residents in job fairs related to any new casinos in the area. The board also expressed the need for community and youth development initiatives, the paper said.
Robert Cornegy, one of the partners and supporters of the casino task force and a former city council member, said residents were opening up to the development.
"The more people learn about jobs, opportunities and benefits that The Coney will bring to Brooklyn and Coney Island, the more they like it," Cornegy said. "We will keep speaking to everyone and engaging our communities from the ground up because Coney Island is a vibrant neighborhood, and The Coney will be the economic driver that helps us revitalize it."
He added that the team would expand its engagements to community organizations and institutions, including churches and local schools.
