Great article.
The novel idea of revitalizing Elmont and southeastern Queens with the construction of a sports stadium, casino, a mall, hotels and a host of restaurants is tremendous. The benefits economically for our community are duly noted from previous comments. However, the biggest gain that can be attained from this project is the impact it will have on the children of today and future generations.
Growing up in southeastern Queens in the late 90s and early 2000s, I reminisced about the 40-minute bus rides and hour walks to be part of something children nowadays take for granted....a place to play. Living in an area without the adequate facilities (ex. P.A.L, YMCA) left the door open for many criminal activities to creep in and steal some of us from a bright future.
A stadium at Belmont Park is needed and well overdue. The social implication of its impact for Elmont and surrounding neighborhoods is evident. Let's bring back the mystique Elmont once had. Who knows, instead of waiting for stars to come into town, we might be breeding stars of our own with these changes.
Read more...