Bally’s proposal to establish a casino on a portion of the former Trump Golf Links site at Ferry Point in the Bronx faces significant legislative hurdles, as the New York City Council has chosen not to proceed with a critical vote regarding the initiative.
On Wednesday, the Council, under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is also a mayoral candidate, opted not to present the measure for a vote, thereby withholding the essential “home rule” message needed to permit the state legislature to review a land-use bill for the undertaking. Without the Council’s backing, Bally’s casino project cannot progress in Albany.
Bally’s purchased the golf course from the Trump Organization in 2023 and has since rebranded it to Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. In accordance with the acquisition agreement, Bally’s is obliged to pay the Trump Organization an additional $115 million upon successfully obtaining one of the three available state casino licenses.
The delay occurs amidst rising political tensions and concerns regarding the indirect financial gains for the former president from this venture. Soo Kim, Chairman of Bally’s, condemned what he described as a “whisper campaign” orchestrated by competing casino bidders, accusing them of leveraging anti-Trump sentiment to diminish support for his company’s proposal.
Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim
“They claim that if Bally’s succeeds, Trump profits. That’s absurd,” Kim stated to The New York Post. “Without a vote from the City Council, we can’t proceed with our bid.”
The company’s development vision encompasses a sprawling 500,000-square-foot casino complex, along with a 500-room hotel featuring a spa and meeting spaces, retail outlets, a 2,000-seat event venue, and two parking facilities that can hold up to 4,660 vehicles. Bally’s has promised over $600 million in community benefits and infrastructure enhancements associated with this proposal.
Despite these commitments, insiders within the Council suggest that Bally’s lacks the necessary support from council members to progress the measure. One insider remarked that Bally’s has not been robust in lobbying efforts and catalyzing momentum for its plan, while another emphasized: “We do not present bills for a vote without the necessary votes in hand.”
A spokesperson for Speaker Adams indicated that discussions are ongoing and refuted any coordinated effort to obstruct the project. “We are still finalizing home rule messages for state legislation. The current legislative process has not concluded,” stated Council spokesperson Mandela Jones.
The legislative clock is ticking. Bally’s must obtain both city and state approvals before the June 27 deadline to submit applications for downstate casino licenses. The state legislature’s session is projected to conclude in mid-June, and the City Council is likely to convene one final time on June 11.
Brooklyn Councilman Lincoln Restler, who presides over the governmental operations committee that oversees state legislation, remarked that Bally’s will have an “additional opportunity” in the upcoming weeks.
Render of the proposed casino
In the Bronx, public sentiment appears to be divided. Republican Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato, whose district includes Ferry Point, has reportedly voiced her opposition to the initiative, although she has yet to make a public statement. Conversely, several Democratic representatives in the borough are actively seeking to rally support for the casino.
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, who would spearhead the legislation in Albany if the Council concedes its approval, acknowledged the concerns regarding potential payouts to Trump but characterized it as part of the arrangement to dissociate the Trump Organization from the property.
“While I despise this situation, and I don’t want him to gain anything from it, it was part of the business transaction that allowed us to remove his name from the property, disentangling him from both the golf course and the Bronx,” Fernandez asserted.
The City Council recently granted similar approval for legislation backing Mets owner Steve Cohen’s casino venture near Citi Field, which subsequently received the green light from both chambers of the state legislature.