#WORLD #WORLDWIDE #USA #NewYork #NY #NYC #THECITY #thecity #Newspaper #Newsletter #News #Journal #Update - THE CITY Scoop: Mets Boss Bets Big on Chinese Gamblers in ‘Vision’ for Casino

 

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Dear New Yorkers, Mets owner Steve Cohen is swinging hard for a casino just past the Citi Field fences. The billionaire hedge fund manager and his allies have spent high-rolling sums on campaign contributions and lobbying efforts ahead of a potential bid for a coveted license for a full-service gambling hall in New York. If he hits big, the development would rise at the doorstep of Queens’ Chinatown, where gambling is already a major pastime — which some locals see as a destructive habit, particularly for the elderly. A company headed by Cohen’s close ally disclosed in lobbying records that it will spend more than $729,000 this year on issues surrounding the casino bid. Before payout, Cohen’s team must convince a community advisory board, a state gambling board and get a special land use change from the state legislature. Read more here. Some other items of note: New York passed nation-leading climate laws three years ago. Now, as the spring legislative session gets into full swing in Albany, state lawmakers are trying to figure out the specifics of how to achieve its ambitious emission goals. It’s the nitty gritty of green policy at the state level; this is how it will get done. Months after brand-new subway elevators in Brooklyn Heights reopened after a $30 million overhaul, the Clark Street lift has seen 35 non-scheduled outages and 11 “entrapments” — including one of our own reporters who was then rescued by firefighters, with 20 other straphangers and a Shih Tzu. Our favorite meteorology guy who brings you the weather outlook in this newsletter every day answered the burning question of the season: Where’s all the snow this winter?! New York City is rapidly approaching the longest stretch without measurable snowfall ever recorded. Here’s why. Last month, THE CITY had some pre-holiday fun with our first-ever subway quiz. It was a rough ride; the average score was 5 out of 10. See where you landed in the results. The city’s labor force today is only 88% the size it was before the pandemic, or about 300,000 jobs below 2020. That’s one metric tracked in THE CITY’s monthly economic update for January. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations, testing rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Friday's Weather Rating: 3/10. Steady rain moves out of the area this morning, but we'll deal with some scattered showers throughout the day. Temperatures top out in the mid to upper 40s with a gusty west wind. A bit better than yesterday, but the vibes are still damp! THE KICKER: OK, there’s no snow yet … but here comes the sun! Sunset in New York will happen at 5 p.m. this Saturday. The next time sunset happens before five o’clock? November 6, 2023. 😎 Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc Always free. Always NYC. Support our journalism today.

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