Mets looking to build Citi Field casino to recoup losses from Bernie Madoff scandal

The New York Mets owners are still reeling from the $162 million in losses they suffered in the Bernie Madoff scandal and, according to The New York Post, are betting that a casino built next to Citi Field would generate enough cash to recoup some of their money from the Ponzi-scheme mess.

Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz — who have been pretty stingy with signing ballplayers over the past few years — want to build a Las Vegas-style casino on a plot of land next to the stadium and even offered the City of New York $100 million for stretch of land.

That's more than the Mets' $93 million entire payroll this season.

Live-dealer casino gambling is currently illegal in the state of New York, except on tribal lands, but that won't stop Wilpon and his company, Sterling Equities, from throwing the dice on a proposal that aims at building a huge casino with gaming tables and slots, a 500-room, full-service hotel with 1.8 million square feet of retail with a lot of other amenities to the Queens site.

The Southampton-based Shinnecock Indian Nation signed on tho operate the casino, according to the  development team's proposal, which was first obtained by project opponents Willets Point United and NYC Park Advocates, reports The Post.

"This will be a place about fun — for families, sports fans and thrill seekers alike," read the proposal.

"It will attract millions of visitors from the New York area and around the world."

Fun and visitors — two things that have been in short supply at Citi Field in recent years.

Wilpon has a long way to go before anyone gets to double-down or punch a slot button on the city-owned patch of junkyard land — even if the idea has Mayor Bloomberg's blessing.

Although Sterling Equities wouldn't directly build or operate the casino, you can bet Major League Baseball — with its tough anti-gambling policies — will be keeping a keen eye on the project.

A MLB spokesman said that they would "need to get all the details of the agreement" and it would ultimately be Commissioner Bud Selig's call.

Selig and Wilpon are longtime friends.

I wonder how the Shinnecock operators will feel when the Atlanta Braves come to town.

Mets' Citi Field lands 2013 All-Star game

First the good news for New York Mets fans— there will be a lot All-Stars coming to Citi Field next year.  Now the bad— they'll only be there a couple of nights.

In what had to the worst kept secret in New York over the past few days, MLB announced that the 2013 All-Star game will be hosted by the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 16.

The announcement was made at a news conference at City Hall with commissioner Bud Selig, Mets owner Fred Wilpon and Mayor Michael Bloomberg in attendance.  Even Mr. Met was there to share in the fun.

The Mets last hosted the annual event in 1964 at Shea Stadium— the year the old Flushing ballpark was opened.  In 2008, the New York Yankees hosted the game— the final season of the old Yankee Stadium.

While MLB decided over four years ago that the Mets would get to host the game at their new ballpark, they held off the announcement until agreements with city agencies for the main event and related services like the FanFest could be reached.  Selig said the Mets' financial problems caused by the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme had no bearing on the delay.

"I have great faith in the Wilpons and the family," said Selig. "And I was very confident they would work things out, and they have.  I had no trepidation at all."

Mets fans cringed at the remark.

Bloomberg then pulled out an old script he uses at every Mets or Yankees presser and said, "I'm counting on a Subway Series this year."

Yankees fans laughed at that remark.

This year, Kansas City will host the game and the 2014 game is expected to be played at Minnesota's Target Field.

Jose Reyes Will Make Mets Pay For Wilpon's Remarks

Last month, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon told The New Yorker magazine that his star third baseman and soon to be free-agent, Jose Reyes, would never get "Carl Crawford money."  He also threw in a few tidbits like Reyes had "everything wrong with him" and "he won't get it" to stress his point.   Those fateful words may now come back to haunt the financially-troubled owner.

Reyes is off to a mind-boggling MVP-type season and leading a mid-season surge to a once improbable Mets wild-card playoff spot.

Forget Carl Crawford bucks, Reyes has even been bandied about as the next New York Yankees shortstop--replacing cross-town icon Derek Jeter.  We're talking desperate Yankees dollars now.

Reyes has not publicly mentioned himself as being trade-bait or packing his bags for another team, but Metsies shouldn't speculate that their star wants to remain with the Mets.

The 28 year-old Reyes is still attached to his long-time agents even though there has been rumors about super-agent Scott Boras poaching the highly-desirable Reyes.

Reyes' current agents are Chris Leible--the godfather of two of Reyes' kids--and Peter Greenberg.  Both associates have stood by Reyes through a couple of injury-plagued seasons and cries of overrated by fans and media.  By the way, the two men are also friends of their client.

Reyes claims people are getting the wrong idea after a Fox Sports story said the Mets player had spoken with Boras.

"There is no chance I would ever leave those guys," said Reyes of Leible and Greenburg.  " I mean, I have been with them since I was 17."

Wilpon might one of those people who are getting the wrong vibe from Reyes.  The Mets owner might read into Reyes snub of Boras as some sign of loyalty.

The Mets are probably under the impression that by staying with his agents, Reyes can't be shopped around by Boras and a reasonable offer could keep their prize in his Flushing surroundings.  That glimmer of hope is based on the delusional reasoning that since Reyes isn't represented by a blood-seeking shark who seeks the maximum contract for his clients, he is more about keeping contract talks simple and staying cozy with the Mets.

Fat chance.

Reyes doesn't need Boras to get a huge contract.  About two-third of the majors could use a lead-off third baseman who is currently leading the NL with a .341 average and 103 runs scored.

If Reyes isn't traded by the July 31 deadline, expect the free-agent flood-gates to open and the Mets left standing without their rubber boots.

Reyes' agents have not said what they are seeking, but it's a sure bet it will be a lot more than the $17 million per season that Jeter is getting.

Crawford signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $142 million.

At the moment, the Mets and Reyes are world's apart on what the team wants to pay and what their third baseman is expecting. He's earned it and Wilpon showed no devotion of his own when he dissed Reyes in public.

 According to the New York Daily News, Reyes' friends say he talks about what he is looking for when the Met is away from the diamond.

"He talks about it all the time," said one buddy.  "And if the Mets think they're getting him for, like, $95 million, they're wrong.  He's going to get paid.  He's clear about that."

Whatever the outcome, Wilpon is going to have to put a lot of money where his big mouth is if the Mets want to keep Reyes in blue and orange.

A-Rod's Speeding Ticket Yanked By NYPD

A serious claim, made by sources involved in the New York Police Department's ongoing ticket-fixing scandal, accuses officers of burying a speeding ticket New York Yankees shortstop Alex Rodriguez got in 2009.

According to the New York Daily News, former-Yankees team owner George Steinbrenner was also a beneficiary of  mishandled summonses.

The NYPD ticket-fixing probe has widened in the past few weeks.  Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has extended the probe after the initial drug investigation concentrated on only one precinct but has now mushroomed into a wide-spread scandal.  It now involves over 100 cops and their superiors in various station houses.

Two sources said A-Rod was pulled over for hot-rodding on the West Side Highway around 57th Street two years ago.  He was issued a speeding ticket by a highway cop, but an NYPD sergeant had it disappear.