Bally's Purchases Land for Bronx Casino from NYC for $156.6 Million

^{The former Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx. Bally’s first paid to take over the golf course lease in 2024 and has now purchased the land from New York City as part of its Bronx casino development. (Photo:  James D. DeCamp / ZUMA Wire via Alamy)}

Bally’s has purchased a 16-acre plot of land from the New York City government, completing a necessary step to develop its Bally’s Bronx casino complex on the Golf Links at Ferry Point.

Bally’s Bronx was one of the three casino proposals awarded a downstate casino license in December after a multiyear process in the Empire State.

Land Deal Comes After Bally’s Paid to Take Over Trump Lease

The purchase, priced at $156.6 million, covers a city-owned parcel of land at 450 Hutchinson Parkway. 

This marks the second time that Bally’s has paid money to take control of the property. The company paid $60 million to the Trump Organization in 2024 to take over the lease on what was formerly known as the Trump Links golf course. Bally’s changed the name to Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. 

In that purchase agreement, there was also a clause that required Bally’s to pay another $115 million to the Trump Organization as a “gaming event fee” if it earned a downstate casino license. After what became a battle of attrition, Bally’s Bronx was one of the last three projects standing and earned its license, triggering that clause.

The deed, filed on Friday, was signed by Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson on behalf of the city. Craig Eaton, who serves as president of Rhode Island operations and corporate secretary, signed for Bally’s.

Bally’s Survived Close Calls to Earn Casino License

While Bally’s wasn’t initially seen as a favorite to pick up one of the three available downstate casino licenses, the Bronx casino project survived multiple close calls to emerge from the pack in the end.

At one point, the proposal appeared to be dead after the New York City Council voted in July 2025 to reject a land-use change that was necessary for Bally’s to build on the golf course, which was designated as city parkland.

But just weeks later, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams vetoed that decision. Adams said that he wasn’t endorsing Bally’s Bronx, but felt that the city shouldn’t eliminate any competitive bids or show different treatment to different projects, particularly when many lawmakers representing the Bronx were in favor of the proposal. 

That kept Bally’s Bronx in the game, and it was one of four proposals to get approval from its Community Advisory Committee. 

Still, it appeared to be the clear underdog in a four-way race against Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal near Citi Field and the two existing racinos – Empire City at Yonkers Raceway and Resorts World New York City.

But MGM pulled its bid to expand its Empire City facility at the last minute, leaving only three contenders for the three remaining licenses. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano asked for an investigation into that decision, which he said would benefit President Donald Trump by providing an additional payout to the Trump Organization should Bally’s Bronx get a license. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declined to look into the matter, which appeared to be based on late changes that would have shortened the renewal period on MGM’s full casino license.