S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6781
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HOOKS -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Cities
 
 AN ACT authorizing the city of New York to discontinue certain  parkland
   in  Flushing  Meadows  Corona  Park in the borough of Queens currently
   consisting of asphalt parking lots to allow for a new development with
   at least twenty acres of parkland

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subject to the provisions of this act, but notwithstanding
 any provision of law to the contrary, including without  limitation  the
 provisions  of  chapter 729 of the laws of 1961, the city of New York is
 authorized to discontinue the use as parkland and alienate  through  the
 entering  of  leases or other agreements with Queens Future, LLC, or its
 affiliates, the lands described in section three of  this  act  for  the
 purposes  of developing, constructing, maintaining, operating, using, or
 occupying such lands with a gaming facility  and,  in  conjunction  with
 such  facility,  commercial, retail, entertainment, recreational, hotel,
 convention, and/or community facility uses,  parking,  and/or  roadways,
 upon  such  terms  and  conditions as may be agreed upon by the city and
 such company, affiliate and other entity. The lands described in section
 three of this act may be temporarily utilized for  construction  staging
 used  in  connection  with the development of such facility, within such
 areas and for such periods as the city of  New  York  determines  to  be
 reasonably necessary for such purpose.
   §  2.  The  authorization provided in section one of this act shall be
 effective only upon the condition that the city of New York dedicates an
 amount equal to or greater than the fair market value of  the  parklands
 being discontinued towards the acquisition of new parklands and/or capi-
 tal improvements to existing parklands and recreational facilities with-
 in  the  borough of Queens, which capital improvements shall include the

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07748-04-5
 A. 6781                             2
              

 
 development of no less  than  20  acres  of  parkland  within  the  land
 described in section three of this act or adjacent parkland, including a
 north-south  connection  from  the  northern  boundary of the passerelle
 pedestrian  bridge to Boat Basin Place, to be constructed and maintained
 by such company, or affiliate described in section one of this act.
   § 3. The lands authorized to be discontinued as parklands pursuant  to
 section one of this act are as follows:
   All  that  certain  lot, piece, or parcel of land situated, lying, and
 being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of  New  York,
 being more particularly bounded and described as follows:
   Area A
   Commencing  at  the corner formed by the intersection of the southerly
 line of Roosevelt Avenue (80' wide)  and  the  westerly  line  of  126th
 Street (80' wide) and running thence;
   A.  Along  the  southerly line of Roosevelt Avenue, S 68° 30' 17" W, a
 distance of 10.20' to a point, thence;
   B. Along a line that bears, N 21° 29' 43" W, a distance of 80.00' to a
 point on the northerly line of Roosevelt Avenue and being the TRUE point
 of BEGINNING, and running thence;
   1. Along the northerly line of Roosevelt Avenue, S 68° 30'  17"  W,  a
 distance  of  2,377.78'  to  a point on a curve of the easterly easement
 line of the Grand Central Parkway, thence;
   2. Along the easterly easement line with a non-tangent  curve  to  the
 right,  having a radius of 1,693.22', an arc length of 623.63', an inte-
 rior angle of 21° 06' 09", and a chord that bears N 10°  40'  23"  W,  a
 distance of 620.11' to a point of compound curvature, thence;
   3. Continuing along the same with a curve to the right, having a radi-
 us  of  2,380.03', an arc length of 269.70', an internal angle of 6° 29'
 34", and a chord that bears N 3° 07' 28" E, a distance of 269.56'  to  a
 point of non-tangency, thence;
   4.  Continuing  along the same, N 20° 03' 57" E, a distance of 172.22'
 to a point on a curve, thence;
   5. Continuing along the same with a non-tangent  curve  to  the  left,
 having a radius of 520.00', and arc length of 413.78', an interior angle
 of  45°  35'  31", and a chord that bears N 18° 52' 29" E, a distance of
 402.95' to a point of reverse curvature, thence;
   6. Continuing along the same with a curve to the right, having a radi-
 us of 771.58', an arc length of 276.48', an interior angle  of  20°  31'
 51",  and  a chord that bears N 6° 20' 39" E, a distance of 275.00' to a
 point on a curve of the southerly line of Northern  Boulevard  (variable
 width), thence;
   7.  Along the southerly line of Northern Boulevard with a curve to the
 left, having a radius of 5,053.50', an arc length of 300.54', an interi-
 or angle of 3° 24' 27", and a chord that bears N 67°42'06" E, a distance
 of 300.49' to a point of compound curvature, thence;
   8. Continuing along the same with a curve to the left, having a radius
 of 4,053.50', an arc length of 63.83', an interior angle of 0° 54'  08",
 and  a chord that bears N 65° 32' 49" E, a distance of 63.83' to a point
 of compound curvature, thence;
   9. Continuing along the same with a curve to the left, having a radius
 of 7,017.50', an arc length of 712.28', an interior angle of 5° 48' 56",
 and a chord that bears N 62° 11' 17" E, a distance of 711.98' to a point
 of compound curvature, thence;
   10. Continuing along the same with a curve to the left, having a radi-
 us of 1,017.50', an arc length of 43.36', an internal angle  of  2°  26'
 A. 6781                             3
 
 30",  and  a chord that bears N 58° 03' 34" E, a distance of 43.36' to a
 point of tangency, thence;
   11.  Continuing along the same, N 56° 50' 19" E, a distance of 274.53'
 to a point of curvature, thence;
   12. Continuing along the same with a curve  to  the  right,  having  a
 radius  of  828.50',  an arc length of 168.69', an internal angle of 11°
 39' 58", and a chord that bears N 62° 40' 18" E, a distance  of  168.40'
 to a point of tangency, thence;
   13.  Continuing along the same, N 68° 30' 17" E, a distance of 104.68'
 to a point, said point being the corner formed by  the  intersection  of
 the  southerly  line  of  Northern  Boulevard  (variable width) with the
 westerly line of 126th Street (80' wide), thence;
   14. Along the westerly line of 126th  Street,  S  21°  29'  43"  E,  a
 distance of 1,687.91' to a point, thence;
   15.  Continuing  along the same, S 19° 51' 59" W, a distance of 15.44'
 to the point or place of BEGINNING.
   EXCEPTING, the area within and including the  exterior  walls  of  the
 stadium known, as of the date hereof, as Citi Field. Said overall parcel
 containing 3,352,577 Square Feet (76.9646 acres) more or less.
   All  bearings and distances are in the New York State Plane Coordinate
 System, Long Island Zone (NAD83/2011 Epoch 2010.00).
   Area B
   Commencing at a point formed by the intersection of the easterly  side
 of the Grand Central Parkway (variable width) with the southerly side of
 Northern  Boulevard  (variable width), as depicted on Alteration Map No.
 4152, entitled "Map No. 4152 showing the modifications in the  lines  of
 the street system within the territory bounded approximately by Flushing
 Bay, Flushing River, Northern Boulevard, 126th Street, Roosevelt Avenue,
 114th  street,  Astoria Blvd and Grand Central Parkway", dated September
 26, 1960, and filed at  the  Queens  Borough  President's  Topographical
 Bureau, and running thence;
   Along  the said southerly side of Northern Boulevard, along the arc of
 a curve bearing to the left, having a radius of 5,053.50  feet,  an  arc
 length  of 300.54 feet, an internal angle of 03° 24' 27", having a chord
 that bears North 67° 42' 06" East, a distance of 300.49 feet, to a point
 of compound curvature, thence;
   Continuing along said southerly side, along the arc of a curve bearing
 to the left, having a radius of 4,053.50 feet, an arc  length  of  48.08
 feet,  an internal angle of 00° 40' 46", having a chord that bears North
 65° 39' 30" East, a distance of 48.08 feet, to a point, thence;
   Leaving said southerly side of Northern Boulevard, along a  line  that
 bears,  North 26° 29' 16" West, a distance of 284.58 feet, to a point on
 the northerly side of Northern Boulevard (variable  width),  same  being
 the True Point or Place of Beginning, having coordinates N: 215,737.267,
 E: 1,025,728.317 (NAD83 NY LIF), and running thence;
   Leaving  said northerly side of Northern Boulevard, along the arc of a
 curve bearing to the left, having a radius of 104.50 feet, an arc length
 of 68.20 feet, an internal angle of 37° 23' 27",  having  a  chord  that
 bears  North  83°  02' 57" West, a distance of 67.00 feet, to a point of
 curvature, thence;
   South 78° 15' 20" West, a distance of 110.08 feet, to a point of  non-
 tangency, thence;
   Along  the  arc  of  a  curve bearing to the right, having a radius of
 132.51 feet, an arc length of 153.25 feet, an internal angle of 66°  16'
 02",  having  a  chord  that bears North 68° 35' 23" West, a distance of
 144.85 feet, to a point of reverse curvature, thence;
 A. 6781                             4

   Along the arc of a curve bearing to  the  left,  having  a  radius  of
 104.50  feet,  an arc length of 85.17 feet, an internal angle of 46° 41'
 42", having a chord that bears North 58° 48' 13"  West,  a  distance  of
 82.83 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   North  01°  26'  37" West, a distance of 3.74 feet, to a point of non-
 tangency, thence;
   Along the arc of a curve bearing to the  right,  having  a  radius  of
 971.95  feet,  an arc length of 55.00 feet, an internal angle of 03° 14'
 32", having a chord that bears North 89° 49' 21"  West,  a  distance  of
 54.99 feet, to a point of non-tangency, said point being on the westerly
 line of park land heretofore established, thence;
   Along  said  westerly  line,  along  the arc of a curve bearing to the
 left, having a radius of 600.00 feet, an arc length of  33.84  feet,  an
 internal  angle  of 03° 13' 53", having a chord that bears North 38° 34'
 55" West, a distance of 33.84 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   Leaving said westerly line, along the arc of a curve  bearing  to  the
 right,  having  a radius of 600.36 feet, an arc length of 72.51 feet, an
 internal angle of 06° 55' 12", having a chord that bears South  86°  18'
 52" East, a distance of 72.46 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   Along  the  arc  of  a  curve bearing to the right, having a radius of
 131.17 feet, an arc length of 54.89 feet, an internal angle of  23°  58'
 41",  having  a  chord  that bears South 74° 13' 42" East, a distance of
 54.49 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   North 83° 37' 30" East, a distance of 7.45 feet, to a  point  of  non-
 tangency, thence;
   Along  the  arc  of  a  curve bearing to the right, having a radius of
 123.86 feet, an arc length of 54.93 feet, an internal angle of  25°  24'
 42",  having  a  chord  that bears South 47° 34' 19" East, a distance of
 54.48 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   Along the arc of a curve bearing to  the  left,  having  a  radius  of
 101.50  feet,  an arc length of 57.30 feet, an internal angle of 32° 20'
 37", having a chord that bears South 51° 42' 38"  East,  a  distance  of
 56.54 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   North  19°  17'  39" East, a distance of 3.00 feet, to a point of non-
 tangency, thence;
   Along the arc of a curve bearing to the left, having a radius of 98.50
 feet, an arc length of 58.36 feet, an internal angle  of  33°  56'  54",
 having  a  chord  that bears South 84° 46' 13" East, a distance of 57.51
 feet, to a point of tangency, thence;
   North 78° 15' 20" East, a distance of  110.03  feet,  to  a  point  of
 curvature, thence;
   Along  the  arc  of  a  curve bearing to the right, having a radius of
 138.51 feet, an arc length of 110.59 feet, an internal angle of 45°  44'
 57",  having  a  chord  that bears South 78° 52' 12" East, a distance of
 107.68 feet, to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   South 64° 52' 51" East, a distance of 10.31 feet,  to  a  point,  said
 point being on the said northerly side of Northern Boulevard, thence;
   Along  said  northerly  side,  along the arc of a curve bearing to the
 right, having a radius of 1,500.00 feet, an arc length of 44.63 feet, an
 internal angle of 01° 42' 16", having a chord that bears South  68°  40'
 00"  West, a distance of 44.62 feet to the True Point or Place of Begin-
 ning, containing 15,737 square feet (0.361 acres), more or less.
   § 4. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the  leases
 or  other  agreements  referenced  in  section  one of this act may also
 include the lands described as follows, if such lands are eliminated  as
 street from the City Map:
 A. 6781                             5
 
   All  that certain piece, or parcel of land, situated, lying, and being
 in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New  York,  being
 more particularly bounded and described as follows:
   Commencing at a point formed by the intersection of the northerly side
 of  Roosevelt  Avenue (80 feet wide) with the easterly side of the Grand
 Central Parkway (variable width), and running thence;
   Along said easterly side of the Grand Central Parkway, along  the  arc
 of  a  curve  bearing to the right, having a radius of 1,693.22 feet, an
 arc length of 171.40 feet, an internal angle of 05° 48'  00",  having  a
 chord  that  bears North 18° 19' 28" West, a distance of 171.33 feet, to
 the True Point or Place of Beginning, having coordinates N: 213,816.460,
 E: 1,025,359.878 (NAD83 NY LIF) and running thence;
   Leaving said easterly side, crossing said Grand Central Parkway, along
 the arc of a curve bearing to the right, having a radius of 85.21  feet,
 an arc length of 137.37 feet, an internal angle of 92° 21' 57", having a
 chord that bears North 47° 55' 48" West, a distance of 122.97 feet, to a
 point of non-tangency, thence;
   Continuing  across said Parkway, North 06° 40' 47" West, a distance of
 185.81 feet, to a point, thence;
   Continuing across said Parkway, North 07° 12' 02" East, a distance  of
 304.66 feet to a point of non-tangency, thence;
   Continuing  across  said  Parkway, along the arc of a curve bearing to
 the right, having a radius of 7,075.40 feet,  an  arc  length  of  67.25
 feet,  an internal angle of 00° 32' 40", having a chord that bears North
 07° 20' 16" East, a distance of 67.25 feet, to a point of  non-tangency,
 thence;
   Continuing  across  said  Parkway, along the arc of a curve bearing to
 the right, having a radius of 80.34 feet, an arc length of  27.18  feet,
 an  internal  angle  of 19° 23' 07", having a chord that bears North 31°
 34' 59" East, a distance of 27.05 feet, to a point of non-tangency, said
 point being on the easterly side of said Grand Central Parkway, thence;
   Along said easterly side, along the arc of  a  curve  bearing  to  the
 left, having a radius of 2,380.03 feet, an arc length of 212.46 feet, an
 internal  angle  of 05° 06' 53", having a chord that bears South 02° 26'
 08" West, a distance of 212.39 feet, to a point of  compound  curvature,
 thence;
   Continuing  along said easterly side, along the arc of a curve bearing
 to the left, having a radius of 1,693.22 feet, an arc length  of  452.23
 feet,  an internal angle of 15° 18' 09", having a chord that bears South
 07° 46' 23" East, a distance of 450.88 feet, to the Point  or  Place  of
 Beginning.
   Containing 28,785 square feet (0.661 acres), more or less.
   §  5.  In  the  event  that the city of New York received any funding,
 support or assistance from the  federal  government  for  the  purchase,
 maintenance  or improvement of any portion of the parklands set forth in
 section three of this act, the discontinuance  and  alienation  of  such
 portion shall not occur until the city of New York has complied with any
 federal requirements pertaining to the alienation or conversion of park-
 lands,  including  satisfying  the  secretary  of  the interior that the
 alienation or conversion complies with all conditions which  the  secre-
 tary of the interior deems necessary to assure the substitution of other
 lands  shall  be  equivalent  in fair market value and usefulness to the
 lands being alienated or converted.
   § 6. Nothing herein shall be construed  as  intended  to  preempt  any
 provision of article 13 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding
 law.
 A. 6781                             6
 
   §  7.  If construction of a gaming facility on the parklands described
 in section three of this act is not commenced within  fifteen  years  of
 the  effective  date of this act or if such parklands shall ever be used
 for a purpose other than for the purposes described in  section  one  of
 this  act,  such  parklands  shall  revert  back to the city of New York
 department of parks and recreation to be used for park and  recreational
 purposes  or  for  the  purposes  provided by chapter 729 of the laws of
 1961, including any amendments thereto.
   § 8. In conjunction with the development described in section  one  of
 this  act,  the  facilities and additions thereto permitted on the park-
 lands described in chapter 729 of the laws of 1961 shall include:  (a) a
 new building operated by the lessee of the stadium that is used for  any
 of  the following uses: (i) office and other work space accessory to the
 stadium, including childcare facilities, (ii) local  food  and  beverage
 establishments, and (iii) meeting and event space that the lessee of the
 stadium will make available to local community groups and organizations;
 and  (b)  improvements  enhancing  access  by the public to the adjacent
 subway station serving the subway line. The city of New York  is  hereby
 authorized  to  grant   easements or other interests to the metropolitan
 transportation authority for portions  of  such  parklands  occupied  by
 public  access  improvements  to  the adjacent subway station, upon such
 terms and conditions as the city shall determine.
   § 9. This act shall take effect immediately.