Bally\u2019s Bronx New York City Casino Bid Dead Following Council Vote
Bally\u2019s Bronx is dead
The $4 billion casino application failed to gain land-use zoning permissions
Seven casino bids remain for three downstate New York casino licenses
Bally\u2019s Bronx, a proposed $4 billion redevelopment of the Bally\u2019s Golf Links at Ferry Point in Throggs Neck, is all but dead.
A rendering of Bally\u2019s Bronx, a proposed $4 billion casino resort development at the Bally\u2019s Golf Links at Ferry Point in New York City. City councilors defeated the casino plan on Monday after they refused to rezone the public parkland for a commercial business.
(Image: Bally\u2019s Corp.)
The motion to dismiss was raised by Councilor Kristy Marmorato, whose 13th District includes the Bronx.
If I make a promise to my community, I follow through. We won\u2019t win every battle, but we will always fight for what\u39;
s right,” Marmorato declared.
Calling Bally’s Bronx a “predatory development,” Marmorato said the Throggs Neck neighborhood is predominantly opposed to the casino project and that the $4 billion proposed investment “did not meet the standards” that the “community deserves.”
Project Concessions
Bally’s Bronx had pledged to deliver a “once-in-a-generation transformation” for the NYC borough often associated with crime and urban blight.
Bally’s reps said the 500K-square-foot casino with 3,500 slot machines and 250 table games would have provided $75 million in transportation upgrades, a $10 million public safety investment to the New York City Police Department, 15K union construction and 4,000 permanent union jobs on average full-time wages of $96,200, a $1.9 billion annual economic impact, and $357 million in annual tax revenue.
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board can only consider casino applications from projects that have adequately satisfied all state and local zoning requirements.
With the NYC Council voting against the Bally’s Bronx casino land-use rezoning, the bid is essentially dead. Bally’s $1 million nonrefundable application fee is gone, too.
The future of gambling in New York City
Ferry Point Park, where Bally’s manages the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and had hoped to construct a casino, is owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
Trump Big Loser
President Donald Trump is a big loser in the Bally’s Bronx plan being defeated. The president’s company, The Trump Organization, sold the golf course lease to Bally’s in 2023 for a reported $60 million.
The transaction came with a condition that if Bally’s was able to secure a gaming license for the property, Trump would receive an additional $115 million.
Seven casino bids remain
With Bally’s Bronx defeated, seven casino bids remain for three downstate New York gaming licenses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bally\u2019s Bronx casino bid was rejected by the NYC Council due to opposition from local residents and concerns over land-use zoning permissions. Seven casino applications remain for the remaining New York gaming licenses. The outcome marks a significant setback for the proposed $4 billion development, which promised substantial community benefits and economic impact.