Bally’s Bronx Revives $4 Billion Casino Bid Amid Fierce New York Competition
Bally’s Corporation is back in the spotlight with its ambitious proposal for a $4billion casino and resort in the Bronx, marking one of the most controversial bids in New York’s competition for downstate casino licenses.
The company presented its vision during the latest round of community advisory committee meetings, capping off the first phase of the state’s evaluation process.
Mayor Eric Adams has twice intervened to keep the project alive, first by lowering the city council’s rezoning vote threshold and later by vetoing a council decision against it.
While Adams insists his moves are not endorsements, his involvement has ensured Bally’s Bronx remains firmly in public view.
The resort would rise on the site of Ferry Point golf course, a property Bally’s purchased from the Trump Organization.
A clause in that deal promises an additional $115m payout if the company secures a license, a detail that has fueled criticism but not derailed the project.
Promises Of Jobs And Investment
If Bally's Bronx gets the go-ahead, this would be the largest private investment in the Bronx's history.
This project is estimated to create over 15,000 construction jobs and approximately 4,000 permanent jobs after the casino is operational.
The company estimates average compensation at just under six figures, which, it argues, could make a meaningful difference in a borough grappling with high unemployment and low median income.
The proposal leans heavily on the Bronx’s economic needs as a selling point. Unlike bids centered in Manhattan, which emphasize tourism and luxury, Bally’s argues that placing a resort in the Bronx would bring transformational benefits to an underserved community.
Workforce development, diversity initiatives and local equity ownership programs are also being touted as part of its outreach.
Architectural plans reveal a futuristic design of tiered structures and skybridges inspired by the contours of the golf course.
The design would stay below the height of the nearby Bronx-Whitestone Bridge to minimize skyline disruption, with much of the existing course left unchanged.
Steep Odds In A Crowded Race
Community outreach has already seen Bally’s canvass more than 11,000 registered voters, with thousands signing petition cards in support of the project.
The company has pointed to this as evidence of strong support in various Bronx neighborhoods and presented the development as one that residents are looking to see move ahead.
Critics questioned both the process used to campaign for the signatures, and whether the signatures really capture the sentiments of the neighborhood.
They further questioned excess traffic around the site, the transparency surrounding Bally's involvement, and whether Bally has overstated the excitement conducted from local groups.
The Bronx proposal now sits alongside seven competing bids, all fighting for up to three coveted downstate casino licenses.
Heavyweights like Resorts World New York City and MGM, already established in the market, are widely seen as front-runners, putting Bally’s at a disadvantage.
Yet the company has a history of succeeding where the odds appear stacked against it, and executives argue that their Bronx project could not only transform the borough, but also stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation’s top-performing new casinos.
