2 days ago
NYC Mayor Eric Adams helps save Trump-linked Bally's casino bid with show of support
Mayor Eric Adams put his chips on the table for Bally's.
The City Council voted to advance legislation Wednesday that would allow gaming operator Bally's to convert part of President Trump's former Bronx golf course into a casino — after the mayor intervened to help secure its passage.
The proposal — referred to as a home rule message — requires 34 votes from the council for passage without the mayor's backing. But only 26 votes are needed — a simple majority, if the mayor declares his support.
At the 11th hour on Wednesday, Adams issued a formal message of support to the council, and the measure passed 32-12, with seven abstaining.
It means the bill can now be take up by the state Legislature.
If approved, it would allow the golf course property, currently designated as state parkland, to be repurposed as a casino complex.
Bally's will then be able to submit a bid for one of three covered downstate state casino licenses later this month.
The firm hopes to build a 500,000-square-foot casino on the Bronx site by its golf course — now called Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point — 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 City Council and Albany lawmakers recently approved such land use legislation allowing Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock to repurpose some of the lots around Citi Field for a casino complex.
Cohen's bill got little to no resistance from the council — but Bally's, with its Trump connection, did.
As part of the deal to acquire the golf course at Ferry Point in 2023, Bally's agreed to provide the Trump Organization an additional $115 million if it wins a casino license.
As The Post previously reported, a council vote on Bally's proposal was postponed two weeks ago — provoking criticism from its CEO Soo Kim, who also fumed that lobbyists for rival bidder Cohen were allegedly whipping up votes against him.
Bronx Democrats back the project. But Councilwoman Kristy Marmarato, a Republican whose district includes Bally's Golf Link at Ferry Point, opposes it.
Her opposition triggered five of her GOP colleagues — including Council Minority Leader Joanne Ariola — to vote against the project that could benefit the president and his company.
During the vote, Marmarato said her constituents opposed the proposed casino and blasted 'outside interference' and 'special interests' lobbying.
City Hall insisted the mayor pushed for Bally's to get a fair hearing from the state Gaming Commission with its casino bid, and wasn't putting his thumb on the scale for the gaming operator or Trump.
'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,' an Adams spokesman 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.'
Bally's applauded the Council's action.
'We appreciate the City Council, including the Speaker and Bronx Delegation in particular, for recognizing the opportunity that this project can afford to the Bronx and the City as a whole. Their actions today allow us to move forward to the next step of making this happen for NYC,' said Christopher Jewett, Bally's senior vice president of corporate development.
He said Bally's has been a 'good neighbor' and will continue to work closely with elected officials and residents.
Cohen's team declined to comment.
