Bally’s CAC Proposes Amendments For Bronx Casino Application

The Community Advisory Committee overseeing Bally’s bid for a $4 billion casino in the Ferry Point section of the Bronx submitted a series of amendments to the Community Benefits Agreement and application on Monday for the gaming company to consider.

This CAC, chaired by Lisa Sorin — an appointment of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson — is the first that has held a meeting to offer amendments to an application among the eight vying for as many as three $500 million casino licenses being offered by the New York State Gaming Commission.

Bally’s has until 5 p.m. ET on Friday to respond to the amendments. If it does not, it is assumed the company has rejected them.

Bally’s has held its two required public hearings, and the CAC has until Sept. 30 to vote the proposal forward. The applicant requires a two-thirds majority to advance for state consideration, which means four votes from this six-person CAC.

A focus on Community Board 10

Many of the proposed amendments focus on areas within Community Board 10, described as “hyperlocal and directly impacted by the proposed project.” Those areas include Pelham Bay, parts of Westchester Square, City Island, Throggs Neck, Country Club, and Co-op City.

The CAC’s amendments list covers six subjects of concern: The Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), parkland, hiring and employment, traffic and infrastructure, transparency and accountability, and environment and water quality.

There were multiple amendments offered for the CBA, starting with the Community Benefit Fund Board (CBFB) itself. The CAC suggested a 13-person board with 11 voting members based on the Hudson River Park Trust. Four voting members would be appointed by local officials representing the Bally’s resort area, and the other seven would be “allocated to local community leaders and representatives.” Four of those seven appointees would have to reside within Community Board 10.

The CAC requested to play a “direct role” in selecting the community leaders, offering an open nomination and vetting process while Community Board 10 serves in an advisory capacity. It also suggested the CBFB serve as the governing board for any Bally’s Bronx Conservancy or Trust to manage Ferry Point Park and other parkland as a means of “ensuring a single point of accountability and consistent priorities.”

There was also an amendment asking for Bally’s to commit to an annual minimum of $17.5 million or 1% of gross gaming revenue to the CBFB starting at the time of licensure versus the opening of the facility. The CAC also asked to “codify” projects and institutions within Community Board 10 being funded first since those are the neighborhoods directly impacted.

Environmental and traffic concerns

One amendment would have Bally’s create a Bronx Conservancy or Trust with NYC Parks. The CAC is also looking to ensure the financial commitment for parkland alienation, which Bally’s projected to be a “nine-figure amount,” would not be diverted into the general NYC Parks budget but rather “invested directly, programmatically and operationally” within Ferry Point Park and Community Board 10 parks.

The CAC also made two requests regarding traffic for the proposed venue. It asked for Bally’s to team with the NYC Department of Transportation to have the proposed overpass include a one-way, dedicated turnaround lane. The committee also asked that the proposed bike lane for Ring Road within Ferry Point Park not be implemented, but to instead create a third lane for bikes, buses, and emergency services vehicles.

A focus on local hiring

Much was made about the casino being a potential economic lifeline for Bronx residents during both hearings with up to 15,000 potential jobs between gaming and construction. The CAC submitted an amendment asking Bally’s to create a “tiered point-based hiring system that is merit based” that gives first preference to Community Board 10 residents, followed by Bronx residents, followed by New York City residents. It also sought transparency by asking Bally’s to publish quarterly reports of hiring based on these geographical tiers as well as exploring on-site child care services.

Between New York City Mayor Eric Adams twice intervening to make sure the Bally’s application getting to this point and now this CAC being the first among the eight to offer amendments to an application, there is a feel Bally’s remains a longshot to land one of the licenses even if it accepts the amendments and the proposal moves forward.

While this process plays out, Bally’s is progressing with its $2 billion casino slated to open in downtown Chicago next year. It has been operating a temporary venue there since September 2023 and has run into a series of logistical issues with construction for the permanent casino that will make it a tight squeeze to meet the state gaming board’s deadline to open next Sept. 9.