The article “Queens Triple Play: Willets West, Major League Soccer, National Tennis Center” highlights the upcoming plans and changes that are being attempted to made. These plans look to increase the value of Queens and create a mini-city within the area of Citi Field, USTA, as well as part of what they plan to make a MLS stadium. Throughout this expensive, yet promising task, this article addresses the pros and cons for each of the developments.
With the newly created baseball stadium, Citi Field, comes with garage areas where cars can be fixed (Willets Point). However, with the Queens Triple Play, there is going to be the largest mall in Queens, that is aimed to be created South of Citi Field as well as hotels on the north side. Not only, but also there is going to be an expansion in parking. However, with the addition of the mall and hotels and parking, many tenants, workers, and residents will be negatively effected. Residents would be displaced, certain businesses will have to move, and workers will have to look for new jobs since the mall will look for “low-wage” workers.
On the north east side will be the site of the new, 25,000 seat MLS stadium. As a result, 7.5 acres of land will be needed to construct this stadium, which will probably include park land. This will allow professional soccer to expand in the city and also allow MLS to rehabilitate various soccer fields, wetlands, and surrounding park areas. Through previous research, the stadium will have a positive impact on the surrounding areas in which local businesses will benefit. However, for this 3-5 year construction period, soccer fields will not be available for the public. The last development would be the expansion of the USTA tennis center.
In total, 60 companies and hundreds of workers will be displaced and a good amount of money will have to be given in from companies and organizations to support the Queens triple play. Although the idea of these expansions and developments may sound appealing, they also have downsides. That being said, the creation of all these new sites will lead to a large influx of immigrants/people around Queens to observe these new developments and will increase traffic surrounding that area, which is a negative factor to this plan.
