NYC Council must ignore partisan politics and fight on against a Bronx casino rezoning OK'd by Mayor Adams
Much as it loves to override the mayor, the council can't be bothered to fight to protect a Republican district.
The mayor wants the site to remain an option for an outer-borough casino — though how siting a new gambling mecca outside Manhattan makes any sense is a real head-scratcher: Is putting it in the shadow of the Whitestone Bridge supposed to appeal to Long Islanders?
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Ballys Corporation rendering of vision of Golf and Entertainment complex in the Bronx.
Bally's Corporation
Or is the relatively isolated site meant to minimize the quality-of-life impact on residential areas?
Traditionally, the council supports members who oppose drastic rezonings in their own districts, but apparently Speaker Adrienne Adams and her circle are OK flipping off Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato and her constituents, who dared to elect the Bronx's only GOP member.
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Yes, the council sided with Marmorato last month in voting to reject the land-use change for Bally's proposed casino at the former Trump golf property.
But (per council sources) Adrienne Adams & Co. couldn't be bothered to schedule an override vote when members' vacation plans made it too hard to line up the 34 votes needed for an override.
Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato is the Bronx's only GOP member.
Paul Martinka
Bally's Bronx bid is one of eight options for three available downstate casino licenses that state regulators can issue, in a competition that then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo basically designed to maximize political-contribution palm-greasing.
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Some bidders are trying to play nice: For example, The Bally's Foundation's did a $10 million deal last spring to save Preston HS, an all-girls Catholic school near the Bronx park, from closure.
But the whole contest remains pretty ugly, and the council's retreat only makes it that much more squalid.
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