Mayor Adams Vetoes Council Decision as Expected, Revives Bally’s Bronx Casino Bid

Bally’s bid to build a Bronx casino is back in contention after New York Mayor Eric Adams issued a veto overturning the City Council’s denial of land use changes needed for the $4 billion project at the site of the former Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point to proceed.

On July 14, with a 29-9 vote, the Council rejected Bally’s zoning application. That effectively halts the project’s progress in the licensing process. With Adam’s veto, the application is back on track.

Bally’s is one of eight candidates vying for three casino licenses in the New York City area. After years of delays, the process has gained momentum.

Following the June 27 application deadline, each bidder must get approval from a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Then it would proceed to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which will consider the application. The Board will decide on the winners by the end of the year.

Adams Justifies the Veto as ‘Leveling the Playing Field’

In a statement, Adams justified his veto by saying he’s trying to even the playing field and that Bally’s deserves a seat at the table:

“The City Council’s disapproval of the Bally’s Bronx bid deprives the Bronx of the ability to even compete for a $4 billion private investment that would deliver 15,000 union construction jobs, 4,000 permanent union jobs, and more than $625 million in community benefits.”

He added that rejecting the project while approving others in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan created an uneven playing field:

“To treat the Bronx differently than other boroughs goes against the publicly stated, in-favor positions of the Bronx borough president and other councilmembers representing working-class neighborhoods across the Bronx. “

“By rejecting the land use application for this casino bid while approving three others in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, the City Council is putting its finger on the scale.”

Councilmember Marmorato: Veto ‘An Insult to District 13’

In a statement, Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato called the mayor’s veto “nothing short of an insult to the residents of District 13.”

“Let me be perfectly clear: I stand firmly with my constituents, and no one – not even other Bronx representatives – will come into our district and force something on us that we do not want.”

“The people of District 13 have been clear: they do not want this casino.”

Marmorato, whose district includes the potential casino site, has been one of the most vocal opponents of Bally’s.

Meanwhile, other council members also criticized the decision, noting that the mayor’s first-ever land-use veto is for a casino rather than addressing housing needs.

A Veto Many Expected

Many expected that Adams would save Bally’s bid. In June, he stepped in at the last moment to issue a home message. That lowered the threshold of votes needed to adopt a home-rule resolution, a prerequisite for Bally’s application to move forward.

His decision could be tied to the fact that some of his closest campaign aids have ties to Bally’s.

Vito Pitta, Adams’s election attorney, is a lobbyist for the Bronx casino proposal. Meanwhile, Frank Carone, the mayor’s campaign chairman and former chief of staff, is a consultant for Bally’s.

Furthermore, some critics have argued that the mayor’s support of Bally’s directly benefits President Trump. In 2023, Bally’s purchased the land from the Trump Organization. Part of the deal includes the operator paying $115 million more if it wins a license.

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice dropped the criminal charges brought against Adams by the Biden administration. The mayor has met with Trump multiple times and has repeatedly declined to criticize or speak negatively about Trump.

What’s Next: Bally’s Heads to CAC Review

With the mayor’s veto, Bally’s can now move into the CAC phase of the licensing process.

CACs are composed of six members elected by various officials, including the Governor and the Mayor. Each committee must hold an initial meeting, at least two public hearings, and a final vote by September 30.

Typically, during the first hearing, developers have the opportunity to present their project to committee members. Hearings also provide an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the proposal. To advance past the CAC stage, Bally’s must receive approval from four out of the six members.

Bally’s bid is currently one of two proposals that have not had a hearing, with Metropolitan Park in Queens being the other. Notably, MGM Resorts declined to present its plan for the conversion of MGM Empire City in Yonkers at its initial CAC meeting – an unusual move.

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