Bally’s ambitious plan to bring a $4 billion hotel-casino complex to Ferry Point Park in the Bronx took a critical step forward Wednesday, as the City Council passed a “home rule” resolution allowing state lawmakers to advance legislation needed for the project to move forward.
In a contentious meeting, the New York City Council voted to authorize the state legislature to pass a bill that would permit the “alienation” of approximately 16 acres of public parkland where Bally’s plans to build the massive development. The legislation—a legal requirement whenever public park space is sold, leased, or repurposed for private use—is needed as the company vies for one of the three downstate gaming licenses.
Mayor Eric Adams played a pivotal role in advancing the gaming giant’s proposal. While a home rule message typically requires a two-thirds majority to pass, the threshold drops to a simple majority when accompanied by a formal message of support from the mayor — as was the case with the Bally’s resolution.
The result was that the council voted 32 to 12 to approve the home rule message, with seven council members abstaining. Without the Mayor’s message of support the resolution would have been 2 votes short.
Bally’s bid, if successful, would bring a 500,000-square-foot gaming hall to Ferry Point Park in Throggs Neck, along with a 500-room hotel with a spa and meeting space, retail shops, a 2,000-seat event center, and two parking garages with capacity for up to 4,660 vehicles. The corporation already operates the city-owned golf course, Bally’s Links at Ferry Point, which was associated with President Donald J. Trump until 2023.
The 16 acres under consideration, located within the Bally’s Links golf course, encompass the existing parking lot, practice area, and clubhouse— all of which would have to be cleared to make room for the casino. In exchange, the company has pledged to provide replacement parkland, rebuild the golf facilities, and implement additional green space improvements throughout the rest of the 413-acre Ferry Point Park. It has also put forward a $625 million community benefits package.
City Hall spokesperson William Fowler told the Bronx Times that Mayor Adams’ backing of the Bally’s proposal reflected his broader support for credible bids for gaming licenses in New York City, regardless of the developer behind them.
“Mayor Adams supports a fair process with as many competitive casino bids in New York City as possible, each of which would bring good-paying union jobs and an economic boost to the community,” Fowler said. “It does not matter which proposal is selected by the state so long as it’s in New York City. We would be supportive of more than one selection in New York City, but that requires more than one competitive proposal.”
Seven out of nine Bronx City Council members voted in favor of advancing the parkland alienation up to Albany. Council Member Pierina Sanchez (D-14), who represents the West Bronx, chose to abstain.
But Council Member Kristy Marmorato (D-13), the Republican representing the district where the casino would be built, voted against the measure and didn’t hold back her frustration. She called the proposal and the process pushing it forward “disgraceful,” accusing outside interests of pressuring her City Council colleagues to violate the long-standing practice of member deference by overriding the wishes of the local representative.
”Let’s be honest, this was never about jobs or fairness,” Marmorato said as the council was preparing to vote. “It was about political favors and special interest power plays. We were elected to represent our communities, not to sell them out.”
Marmorato told her colleagues in the City Council that constituents in her district were “ignored from the very beginning.”
The proposal must clear several layers of approval before moving forward, with the parkland alienation being just one component. The project must also undergo the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) to rezone the area, beginning with input from the local community board. Although Community Board 10 voted against the proposal on March 20, the ULURP process continues, which will ultimately go before the City Council for a binding vote.
Despite the vote, Marmorato has pledged to nix the plan.
“This fight is not over,” she said Wednesday. “This project must still go through the ULURP process — and I will use every tool available to oppose it. Our community will not be steamrolled by special interests, and I will not stop until this harmful proposal is defeated for good.”
The disconnect between local concerns and the City Council’s vote has fueled speculation among some close to the process that Mayor Adams’ last-minute push for Bally’s may have been an effort to curry favor with former President Donald Trump, whose organization stands to earn up to $115 million if the casino secures one of the state’s three available licenses.
But City Hall said nothing could be further from the truth.
“Absolutely not,” Fowler said, when asked if the Mayor’s actions were politically motivated.
The City Council’s passage of the home rule resolution now allows state lawmakers to vote on a park alienation bill sponsored by Bronx legislators State Senator Nathalia Fernandez (SD-34) and Assembly Member Michael Benedetto (AD-82) before the end of the legislative session. A separate alienation bill tied to Mets owner Steve Cohen’s proposed casino next to Citi Field has already passed the state legislature and is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.
Both projects, along with at least 9 other NYC bids, must file their applications with the New York Gaming Facility Location Board by June 27.
