Political Tensions Flare At Bally’s Bronx Casino Hearing

The normal process of voicing public support and opposition found at these New York casino public hearings was upended Tuesday night in the Bronx, where the second Bally’s session exposed clear dividing lines between City Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato and State Assemblymembers Amanda Septimo and Yudelka Tapia.

The three politicians spoke in succession during the first hour as the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) gages community support for Bally’s proposed $4 billion casino to be built in the Ferry Point neighborhood of the borough. Marmorato, who led a successful down vote of parkland alienation in the New York City Council that was vetoed by Mayor Eric Adams to help get the Bally’s proposal to this stage, has long opposed the casino. Septimo and Tapia, who both represent the Bronx at the state level, are backers of the project.

There were multiple interruptions while the three women spoke, to the point the CAC called the local police to usher out those repeatedly interrupting commenters. The committee also took a 5-minute break during the first hour to cool down things, though there was constant chatter underneath those speaking for the rest of the evening despite multiple calls for decorum.

Once the fireworks subsided, the hearing took on similar themes from the Aug. 19 session. That included strong support from unions and civic groups and opposition from those expressing environmental concerns for the land where the casino would be built, plus worries over crime and increased traffic in the area.

Marmorato comes out swinging

Marmorato, who represents the 13th District and was the first Republican councilmember elected from the Bronx to the New York City Council in 40 years in 2024, came to the podium with multiple reasons of opposition, chief among them that Bally’s proposal would create the largest casino in the country built on parkland.

“This will fundamentally alter life in our neighborhood as we know it,” she said. “The site was converted to a golf course for a reason. It is not built to handle huge, peak crowds.”

Marmorato provided specific reasoning for her down vote to rezone the parkland, calling Bally’s proposal for park space “a complete joke.”

“When I asked for acre-to-acre parkland replacement in our community, I was completely shut down,” she said. “They are offering replacement over six miles away in City Island. That is not a replacement. It is an abandonment of the people who actually use Ferry Point Park and the residents of Ferry Point Park.”

Her voice rose before and after being interrupted, saying that Bally’s “wants gamblers. They do not want neighbors,” She also noted what she felt was an influx of non-community members at the hearing, saying, “I know a majority of the faces, and I do not know the majority of these people that are here that are for the project. They do not belong in this community.”

Septimo rebuts

Septimo, who represents the South Bronx at the state level via the 84th District, countered Bally’s proposal is unprecedented for the Bronx in terms of a development project. A third-term Assemblyperson, she also pointed out how money for infrastructure was going to other boroughs, citing four projects spanning Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens that currently have a combined $40 billion price tag.

“When is it our turn?” the 34-year-old Septimo rhetorically asked, often turning to the audience as she spoke. “The answer is now. We have to create our own opportunities in the Bronx. We do not have the privilege to say, ‘You know what, I’m going to wait forever because somebody doesn’t want their park to change.'”

Tapia focuses on union job potential

Tapia, a second-term Assemblymember whose 86th District is to the north of Septimo’s, made her focus on the 15,000 union jobs the proposal carries, which includes 3,500 casino positions and more than 10,000 in construction.

“This project creates stable middle-class careers right here in the Bronx,” said Tapia, a former member of the Local 1407-DC37 union. “It invests in our neighborhoods, it strengthens our community, and it shows what development can look like when it’s done the right way.

“Union jobs, with community input, and with real benefits for Bronx residents. I am proud to support this proposal.”

The Bronx isn’t Bally’s only act

As Bally’s makes its play for a casino at Ferry Point, it continues to construct a $2 billion casino in downtown Chicago. It is currently operating a temporary venue there, with the permanent casino to open in the River North neighborhood of the city in September 2026.

The Bronx proposal, however, is considered a longshot among the eight applicants to be awarded one of the three $500 million downstate casino licenses from the New York State Gaming Committee.