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Image courtesy Bally's Bronx
The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing Bally’s $4 billion proposed casino to be built at Ferry Point in the Bronx voted 5-1 on Monday to forward the application to the New York State Gaming Commission’s Gaming Facility Location Board.
Bally’s is the third applicant to advance for state consideration, joining Resorts World and Empire City MGM. It also will be the most unlikely candidate to advance among the eight applicants given the level of assistance provided by outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams just to be heard by Bronx residents.
“As the mayor’s office has emphasized throughout this process, we believe casinos can serve as major economic development initiatives, creating good paying jobs and delivering benefits to the city, region, and local communities,” said Paul Philps, who was Adams’ representative on the CAC. “The Bally’s proposal is an exciting opportunity for the Bronx to share in the benefits of licensed, full-scale commercial casinos in the downstate region.”
The CAC for The Coney is expected to vote down Thor Equities’ $3.4 billion proposed gaming venue for Brooklyn later Monday, while the CAC vote for the $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino proposal in Flushing fronted by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock will be held Tuesday.
The CAC vote for Metropolitan Park will complete this round of the downstate New York casino licensing process. All three New York City-based proposals — The Avenir, Caesars Palace Times Square, and Freedom Plaza — have already been voted down by their respective CACs.
The Ngaming commission can award up to three licenses, each worth $500 million. The state agency is expected to announce those licensees in December.
A vindication of sorts for Adams
Adams, who announced Sunday he was ending his re-election bid, gave the Bally’s proposal two lifelines in the run-up prior to the state-mandated two public hearings. He declared public support for the proposal for parkland alienation in June, which lowered the threshold of passage in the New York City Council from two-thirds to a simple majority.
He later vetoed the City Council’s downvote for the rezoned parkland alienation, which was led by Bronx Councilmember Kristy Marmorato. Her representative on the CAC, Danielle Volpe, cast the only nay vote Monday. On both occasions, Adams explained the two maneuvers as “having advocated for a fair process with as many competitive bids as possible.”
Still much work to be done
Despite the 5-1 vote, multiple members of the CAC noted Bally’s still has much left to do in terms of satisfying the needs of the community. In addition to a back-and-forth of amendments between the CAC and the gaming company last week, there was a set of negotiated amendments over the weekend that were inserted into the application.
That included the CAC members representing Marmorato, State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, State Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson all having seats on the 13-person Community Fund Trust Board (CFTB) that has 11 voting members. Bally’s said it would be amenable to having the board formed at time of licensure as opposed to waiting until the casino opening.
Bally’s also raised its minimum annual commitment to the CFTB from $12.5 million to $15 million at the time of the casino opening, though that amount can be higher if 1% of its gross gaming revenue exceeds $15 million. That is in addition to $12 million in annual support “across workforce development, free or discounted event space offerings, ongoing beautification support for nearby parkland and public safety improvements” and $5 million annually in public safety.
Bally’s also agreed that its annual public safety contribution “will be commensurate with the cost of personnel as it applies to NYPD, Parks Department enforcement, and other personnel as determined” to help ensure staffing would not be reduced “over time due to rising employment costs.”
“It is my judgment that support in the community exceeds opposition and that the benefits can outweigh the harms,” CAC Chair Lisa Sorin said in explaining her aye vote. “Accordingly, I vote yes to find community support for Bally’s application.
“A yes today is not a blank check for tomorrow,” she warned. “It is a mandate to deliver, measure, course correct in partnership with the people most affected.
“To every neighbor who opposed this project, your concerns shaped my expectations and will shape the conditions I press to include. To every supporter, your hopes for jobs, contracts, and investments are heard and must be realized here in the Bronx, not promised and postponed.”
Volpe explains her no vote
Volpe was long expected to be a nay vote given Marmorato’s opposition to the casino from the get-go. Volpe echoed the City Councilmember’s concern about the parkland alienation brought up at the second hearing and noted Community Board 10 — the one in closest proximity to the proposal — voted against it.
“What the Bronx truly needs are better schools, real investments in our community, safe family and green spaces, affordable housing, and opportunities that uplift our residents for generations,” said Volpe. She added that Adams’ veto “does not erase the opposition from both the council and the community. It only prolongs the process that should have ended with the will of the people.”
Public support was widely split, with overwhelming support at the two hearings by a 97-22 count and overwhelming opposition via written submissions with 103 against and only 24 in favor.
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