Queens Residents Weigh In On Willets Point Plan
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Queens residents packed the auditorium at the Our Lady of Sorrows Church Monday to voice their opposition to a plan to redevelop Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Members of the community say they want some input on the project that would see a shopping mall go up near Citi Field and a Major League Soccer stadium where Industry Pond now sits.
In addition to the shopping and sports complex, the U.S. Tennis Association is lobbying for a new stadium at the site as well.
Opponents say they don't want their park gutted.
"Why don't they just build the stadium in Central Park?" said City Councilman Daniel Dromm. "That's the question all of us have here. Whenever they want to build something, they don't ever think about putting it in their flagship park in Manhattan."
"What we want to kind of show today is that this community is organized," said Javier Valdes of Make The Road New York. "This community wants to be part of those conversations. This community wants to be thinking about what is the future of Flushing Meadows Corona Park."
Any transfer of park land has to go through the State Legislature.
The City Council will hold a series of public hearings on the matter, the results of which could influence the state's decision.
In a statement, Major League Soccer said it would replace any park land used for the stadium.