As the battle for casino development in the city heats up with eight companies vying for three licenses, Bally’s shared an exclusive preview of interior spaces within its proposed project in Soundview’s Ferry Point Park, including the hotel rooms, restaurants, gaming floor and more.
For several months, Bally’s has touted what it calls historic investments in Bronx economic development as it hopes to gain a casino license and bring a massive mixed-use complex to an area that was once a landfill.
The renderings by Gensler, a global architectural firm, show that the proposed $4 billion waterfront complex goes far beyond gaming, said Chris Jewett, project lead and senior vice president of corporate development.
Plans for the complex include a 2,000-person event center, restaurants, retail shops, spa and food hall. Jewett said the rooftop bar/restaurant is especially noteworthy for its expansive city views rarely found in the Bronx and that the site would provide space for higher-capacity events, conventions and entertainment in the borough.
“This is something for everyone,” said Jewett.
In exchange for the hotel-casino project, Bally’s has promised a slew of benefits for the Bronx, including 4,000 permanent, union jobs that would pay $96,000 per year on average, according to the company. It will also support educational and sports organizations and offer opportunities for locals to buy partial ownership stakes in the project.
Still, several of the proposed NYC-area casinos have seen community opposition, and Bally’s is no exception.
Critics, including Council Member Kristy Marmorato, believe the project will bring increased traffic and crime. Some also argue that the loss of even a small amount of public parkland is unacceptable, as the project would require privatizing approximately 16 acres of the park’s total 414 acres. In June, the City Council voted to approve a bill to “alienate” the necessary parcel of land, over Marmorato’s objections.
At the same time, Bally’s was widely applauded for using its philanthropic arm to save Preston High School, an all-girls Catholic school near the proposed project site that had been slated to permanently close in June, citing financial challenges. Bally’s Foundation bought the property for $8.5 million and will lease it back to the school for $1 per year, allowing it to remain open in perpetuity.
Regarding the casino complex, Jewett said the company is engaged in “active conversations” in response to elected officials’ and residents’ concerns. For instance, the company said it would add multiple NYPD substations to deter and respond to crime in the area and build an overpass to alleviate traffic congestion.
With only three licenses to be doled out by the state, Bally’s faces stiff competition from other major bidders seeking to establish themselves in the NYC gaming and entertainment landscape.
Across the five boroughs and Yonkers, eight applications were submitted by the June 27 deadline, including Willets Point and Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens; Coney Island in Brooklyn; and in Times Square, Hudson Yards and midtown Manhattan.
Jewett said that because the state evaluates projects mainly on local and economic impact — comprising 80 points of the 100-point scoring scale — he believes Bally’s has among the best chances of selection. The company’s $625 million Community Benefits Agreement outlines its planned investments in Bronx schools, public safety, organizations and infrastructure and is “the strongest of any bidder,” said Jewett.
Now that the application deadline has passed, the Community Advisory Committee process will begin. Members are expected to be announced soon and are appointed by elected officials to gauge support for the proposed casino and ultimately hold a vote.
Bally’s also continues to move through the necessary land use and zoning procedures with a Sept. 30 deadline. The state is expected to award the three downstate licenses by the end of Dec. 2025.
For more information on the proposed Bally’s project and to submit questions, see https://ballysbronx.com/ .
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
