Rebuttal to – High Stakes Betrayal: Larry Wilson…..True Community Engagement Means Listening First
By Jerry Longarzo, Vice President, Hyatt Association
A Yonkers resident who was born and raised here and has been part of our community for seventy years is the kind of neighbor every city needs. A small business owner and dedicated landscape contractor, he can be found across our neighborhood cutting lawns, emptying grass clippings, and quietly beautifying our streets. Not all heroes wear capes. When he trades his T-shirt, jeans, and work boots for a suit to attend Hyatt Association meetings, he speaks up for a strong, safe, and beautiful southeast Yonkers. That person is Larry Wilson.
Larry has spent decades caring for our neighborhood, both as a business owner and as a committed advocate for the people who live here. Those of us who know Larry understand that he embodies the spirit of community service; steady, respectful, and dedicated. It is disappointing to see recent coverage portray him otherwise, when the real story is the process surrounding the Empire City expansion.
Our association is not opposed to economic growth. We understand that Empire City Casino has been a major employer and contributor to the state education fund for nearly twenty years. However, growth that truly benefits Yonkers requires open communication and trust.
When the New York City Department of Environmental Protection undertook the Hillview Reservoir construction project, their public outreach set a gold standard. DEP’s Public Affairs lead, John Milgram, literally walked the backyards of residents, explaining the schedule, listening to concerns, and even adjusting plans to minimize disruption. By comparison, MGM’s community outreach fell far short. Their representative never provided the same consistent, personal communication that John did.
The handling of key documents shows why residents felt left out. When the Hyatt Association requested a hard copy of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, members were told simply to visit the library. Later, when we asked for a copy of the statement, we received only a single chapter and never the complete document. Councilman John Rubbo stepped in to fill that gap, printing the full statement himself and making sure every community leader had it. John has kept us informed weekly, sometimes several times a week, explaining the city’s commitments and listening to our concerns. That is what partnership looks like.
Larry serves not only as a neighborhood advocate but also as the representative of Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on the Community Advisory Council. He carries a dual responsibility as a trusted community leader and a voice for one of New York State’s most powerful legislators. That role demands accurate information and transparent dialogue, precisely what our community did not receive from MGM’s public affairs team.
At the Coyne Park community meeting, attended by Mayor Spano, our message carried by Larry on behalf of four local community groups was clear… help us get to “yes.” We know the potential benefits of this project. Thousands of new jobs, many paying six-figure salaries, and significant tax revenue for the city could result from a full casino license. We are not blind to those opportunities. However, we also live where the impacts will be felt first and most sharply. This neighborhood already bears the brunt of traffic congestion, crime concerns, flooding in areas and air/noise pollution. We simply need concrete assurances that these issues will be thoroughly and effectively addressed.
Had MGM’s representative consistently engaged with residents, the way the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) did, we might already be there. Instead, we were left with unanswered questions and fragmented information. They could have helped us move closer to yes much, much sooner; instead, we were forced to organize and press for details on our own.
This is not about rejecting progress or denying the city a chance to grow. It is about demanding a process that respects the people who call this neighborhood home. Yonkers deserves partners who meet us in our backyards, who provide full information without delay, and who communicate as frequently as our councilman has.
