{"id":3469,"date":"2025-08-22T11:13:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T15:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multi.nycnewsnetwork.com\/nycpolitics\/ballys-bronx-casino-proposal-draws-strong-support-at-first-council-hearing\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T11:13:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T15:13:30","slug":"ballys-bronx-casino-proposal-draws-strong-support-at-first-council-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/nycpolitics\/ballys-bronx-casino-proposal-draws-strong-support-at-first-council-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"Bally\u2019s Bronx Casino Proposal Draws Strong Support at First Council Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bally\u2019s push to bring a $4 billion casino, hotel, and entertainment complex to Ferry Point Park took a major step forward this week, when the <\/span><b>Bally\u2019s Community Advisory Council (CAC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> held its first official meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Community Weighs in on $4B Casino Complex<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of the 49 members of the public who signed up to speak, 42 voiced support for the project, which could become the largest private development in Bronx history.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many praised Bally\u2019s promises of good-paying union jobs, major community investments, and new entertainment options for the borough. Union members and youth advocates filled the room at 1200 Waters Place, many wearing shirts signaling their support.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jobs and Benefits Promised<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bally\u2019s has pledged 15,000 union construction jobs and 4,000 permanent jobs, with average salaries of $96,000 plus benefits. The company also proposed a $625 million community benefits package, including funding for schools, youth programs, infrastructure, and replacement of parkland affected by the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some cited Bally\u2019s $8.5 million purchase and leaseback of Preston High School earlier this year as proof of its commitment. Two incoming freshmen at the all-girls\u2019 Catholic school testified that Bally\u2019s support had saved their school from closure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHold [Bally\u2019s] accountable for everything they promised, but at the same time, bring the opportunity,\u201d said community activist <\/span><b>Lauren Patterson<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cYou can\u2019t be against people doing better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critics Warn of Risks<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, seven speakers opposed the project, raising concerns over corporate greed, pollution, traffic, gambling addiction, and crime. <\/span><b>Carl Lundgren<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, former chair of the Bronx Green Party, argued the site is unsuitable. \u201cIt\u2019s already on a toxic waste dump that was never remediated when the golf course went in there. This is just a bad idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Others warned that casinos extract wealth rather than build it. Throggs Neck resident <\/span><b>Thomas Shepherd<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> called the proposal a \u201cmoral issue,\u201d saying casinos \u201cexploit the desperation of poor people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s Next<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CAC, chaired by <\/span><b>Bronx Chamber of Commerce president Lisa Sorin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, consists of six members appointed by <\/span><b>Mayor Eric Adams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Borough President Vanessa Gibson<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Governor Kathy Hochul,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and East Bronx representatives: <\/span><b>Assembly Member Michael Benedetto<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>State Senator Nathalia Fernandez<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>Council Member Kristy Marmorato<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CAC must approve the plan by a two-thirds majority before September 30 for it to advance to the state Gaming Facility Location Board. The next public hearing is set for September 9, with comments also accepted via email at <\/span><a href=\"mailto:BallysNYPublicComment@nystec.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BallysNYPublicComment@nystec.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and via mail at the following address:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bally\u2019s Bronx Community Advisory Committee c\/o NYSTEC\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attn: CAC Consultant Team\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">540 Broadway\u200b 3rd Floor\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Albany, NY 12207<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bally\u2019s push to bring a $4 billion casino, hotel, and entertainment complex to Ferry Point Park took a major step forward this week, when the Bally\u2019s Community Advisory Council (CAC) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-nyc-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - 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