Floral Park mayor files lawsuit to halt Belmont Park construction

The Village of Floral Park filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the redevelopment of Belmont Park.

News 12 Staff

Sep 10, 2019, 11:55 PM

Updated 1,921 days ago

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The Village of Floral Park filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the redevelopment of Belmont Park.
Village officials say they have previously expressed concerns about how the $1.3 billion project for the Islanders was too big and would bring too much traffic to the area.
In a letter to residents, Floral Park Mayor Dominick Longobardi says, "the village was compelled to take this step because Empire State Development failed to address the concerns of our residents and failed to mitigate the very real negative consequences to our village that will result from the massive size and scope of the project."
The lawsuit seeks to stop construction on the site until the appropriate environmental review has been completed.
Marilyn Rooney, a Floral Park resident for 47 years, says that as a result of the project, "our whole town would be turned upside down.” She says she has concerns about traffic and security, as the park will attract people from all over the Island.
Not all residents say they have the same concerns.
"I think it's going to create a lot of jobs for guys like me, “ says resident Rob Chierico. “I'm a union man, so I'm all for it."
A spokesperson for Empire State Development says the project has gone through a transparent and public process over many years to gain approval. He also says the developer does not comment on pending litigation.
A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Mayor Longobardi was scheduled to meet with a top administration official about the village's concerns, but filed the lawsuit before the meeting took place.