Juan Soto and Casino’s - What is Steve Cohen really even doing in Queens?

Queens Bought the Dream — But the Mets Still Owe the Results

When Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets,

Mets fans thought the suffering was officially

over. Billionaire owner? Check. Wall Street swagger? Check. Unlimited spending? Supposedly. The assumption was simple: money in, playoffs out. Easy math.

A billionaire owner meant guaranteed relevance, October baseball, and an end to the punchlines. Instead, five years in, the Mets are still wrestling with the same identity crisis — only now it’s louder and more expensive.

Queens got a front-row seat to the most expensive case of trial-and-error in Major League Baseball.

Cohen didn’t hide his intentions. The Mets spent aggressively, signing Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and later pivoting by trading both when contention slipped away. The Mets became known less as a juggernaut and more as a cautionary tale: money buys stars, not cohesion.

The pursuit of Juan Soto — whether successful or not — symbolizes that perception. One superstar alone isn’t a foundation, and fans in New York know it. The frustration isn’t about spending; it’s about direction. Queens doesn’t want headlines — it wants structure.

Meanwhile, Cohen’s proposed casino development near Citi Field has only amplified the disconnect. To many fans, it feels like ambition everywhere except the win column. Fair or not, perception matters in this city.

Nothing screams focus on winning like pitching blackjack while the bullpen melts down. The vibes matter.

The Mets still have core pieces, young pitching upside, and financial muscle. But until that wealth translates into a balanced roster, smart extensions, and sustained winning, skepticism will linger. In New York, patience is thin — especially when the check clears before the celebration starts.

Queens didn’t ask for miracles. It asked for credibility. And that’s still the one thing money hasn’t secured.