Bally’s recent casino proposal for the Trump Golf Course at Ferry Point has been met with opposition from the New York City Council.
Speaker Adrienne Adams leads the New York City Council. At a recent meeting, Adams decided not to hold a vote on Bally’s proposal, which includes turning a part of the Trump Golf Course into a casino. Her critics pointed out that she is also running for mayor and that the move could be politically motivated.
Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim said the council is “moving the goalposts” by not voting on the issue last week. Kim went on to state that the new venture would create jobs, increase tax revenue for the state, and spark economic growth.
Bally’s At Ferry Point
Bally’s acquired the golf course from the Trump Organization in 2023. After rebranding the location, the “Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point,” the global entertainment company specializing in casino and interactive gaming, has submitted plans to add a casino on site.
Plans include a 500k-square-foot casino, a 500-room hotel, retail shops, a 2,000-seat event center, and corporate meeting areas. To accommodate the rise in tourism, additional parking complexes will also be built.
The potential Bally’s casino also pledged over $600 million for the community and aims to revitalize the area. However, before the project can proceed, it must secure approval.
The Uphill Political Battle
Bally’s is seeking authorization from the state legislature to reallocate parkland to establish a casino. For this legislation to proceed, the New York City Council must submit a “home rule” message to Albany.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen recently proposed a similar casino bid for Citi Field. Cohen secured support after receiving the vote to proceed with his proposal. However, despite significant community contributions, Bally’s has not yet received a vote to proceed with its project.
Members of the community have opposed Bally’s project. In response, Bally’s has suggested offering Bronx residents the opportunity to purchase shares in the proposed casino.
New York Online Casino’s Future
New York’s gambling options include casinos, sportsbooks, horse racing, and lottery games. While state-licensed casinos cannot offer services online, numerous international brands accept online players from NY.
Since there are no laws making gambling online illegal, players can sign up and wager on real-money casino games. Popular online games include slots, roulette, video poker, blackjack, live dealer games, and more.