Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises · Tuesday, July 1, 2025

The one where Bally's drags its dead Bronx casino back to the subcommittee that already buried it

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land-use items

affordable

13,600

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Bally's wouldn't take no for an answer. Its Ferry Point casino map amendment (C 250086 ZMX) had already failed 5-4 at Land Use and drawn a subcommittee disapproval back in July, with Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato declaring her district 'did not want a casino.' Here it returns: applicant Christopher Jewett pledges $10M annually and 15,000 union construction jobs, a wall of labor witnesses testifies in support, and the whole rezoning is openly admitted to evaporate 'unless and until Bally's is awarded' a gaming license. Marmorato presses whether the mapping is purely license-contingent; a speake

From the room

“between 20 and 30 percent of all units within any building, new construction or conversion in MSMX would have permanently income restricted housing”
— Eric Botsford

“we are not here today to decide whether there should be a casino in the Bronx. We are here today to determine whether the requested land use approvals”
— Kevin C. Riley

“What commitment can you give to Councilmember Marmorado, myself, and my Bronx elected colleagues that these jobs will actually go to our constituents”
— Kevin C. Riley

“implementing an enhanced signalized pedestrian crossing between the parking facility on the interior side of Ring Road and the existing ferry stop”
— Nicholas Tortorella

The decisions

01LU 0321-2025C 250086 ZMXZoning MapLaid over

450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

with 2 related matters · LU 0322-2025 · LU 0323-2025

No final vote was recorded; the subcommittee heard sharply divided testimony on Bally's bid to rezone its Ferry Point Golf Links site for a Bronx casino. Supporters like Susan Kalamier and hotel-union member Jose Acosta cited thousands of jobs and senior reinvestment, while Max Zapone urged a no vote over Hutchinson River Parkway traffic and parkland loss, insisting the community does not want it.

The deal

Site

450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

District

District 13

Conditions

No license => site stays parkland
None of the four actions become effective unless and until Bally's is awarded a gaming license
Enhanced pedestrian crossing between EDC parking lot and unpaved park-user lot, per city requirements
City map changes contingent on gaming license award
No license => map changes void
Required to replace fair market value of acquired parkland with replacement parkland or existing parkland improvements; plan to do a combination

+3 more conditions

Land-use review

CEQR: Other

Properties450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

Legislation →ULURP case →

02LU 0324-2025C 250185 ZMMZoning MapLaid over

Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan

with 1 related matter · LU 0325-2025

The chair noted the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan only as the administration's separate Manhattan neighborhood rezoning effort; no testimony or decision on this item was recorded at this hearing.

Mandatory inclusionary housing

2,000 affordable

2,900 affordable

Conditions

southeast quadrant is underbuilt with unused FAR
modify proposal so surplus property air rights / TDR can be used
more than half of southeast quadrant in historic districts; 12 landmarks
POPS should not be the solution to open-space impacts
add targeted public realm investment fund, governing group, and concept plan to the zoning
keep all three MIH options and proposed densities through adoption

+6 more conditions

Land-use review

CB Manhattan CD 5 (majority) and CD 4 (smal Approve

CB CB5 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board Five Approve

CB Manhattan Community Board Five Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 4 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 5 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 5 Approve With Conditions

CB CB5 Other

Where it standsCB Manhattan CD 5 (majority) and CD 4 (smal ✓→Committee→Full Council

Legislation →ULURP case →

Also in the record

Records not linked to a specific agenda item

The deal

Stories

20 fl

Mandatory inclusionary housing

Option 1

Citations & precedent

NYS Section 467M (Affordable Housing from Commercial Conversions Program)

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity (zoning text amendment)

Procedure

Satya Muthuswamy (applicant team) asked to state name for the record and sworn in before testifying on traffic — Satya Muthuswamy
Chair Riley hands off questioning to Council Member Kristy Marmorato — Kevin C. Riley
Satya Muthuswamy invites Nick (Nicholas Tortorella) to testify on ring road improvement specifics; needs to be sworn in first — Satya Muthuswamy
Nicholas Tortorella (Stonefield Engineering and Design, applicant team) states name for record and is sworn in — Nicholas Tortorella

+2 more procedural steps

The people

Public testimony: 13 in favor · 3 opposed

Practitioners & applicants

Jahaira Flores · Marcus Payne · Donald Brathwaite · Judy Durso · Gilberto Constantinez · Jacqueline Torres · Laura Guerrero · Raul Rivera · Elisa Tofa · Carmelo Satal · +30 more

The intelligence

Every parcel, owner, and applicant in this meeting, cross-referenced against Zonable’s NYC ownership, enforcement & legislative graph — the record behind the record.

Sign in for the full graph

Owner portfolios, open OATH/ECB violations, 311 & DOB permits across every parcel discussed, developer track records, and an “ask this meeting” chat.

Ask about this meeting

Chat with AI about this meeting. Free account required.

Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises · Tuesday, July 1, 2025

The one where Bally's drags its dead Bronx casino back to the subcommittee that already buried it

Contents & search

items

laid over

land-use items

affordable

13,600

CEQR: Other

Try

From the room

“between 20 and 30 percent of all units within any building, new construction or conversion in MSMX would have permanently income restricted housing”
— Eric Botsford

“we are not here today to decide whether there should be a casino in the Bronx. We are here today to determine whether the requested land use approvals”
— Kevin C. Riley

“What commitment can you give to Councilmember Marmorado, myself, and my Bronx elected colleagues that these jobs will actually go to our constituents”
— Kevin C. Riley

“implementing an enhanced signalized pedestrian crossing between the parking facility on the interior side of Ring Road and the existing ferry stop”
— Nicholas Tortorella

The decisions

01LU 0321-2025C 250086 ZMXZoning MapLaid over

450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

with 2 related matters · LU 0322-2025 · LU 0323-2025

The deal

Site

450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

District

District 13

Conditions

No license => site stays parkland
None of the four actions become effective unless and until Bally's is awarded a gaming license
Enhanced pedestrian crossing between EDC parking lot and unpaved park-user lot, per city requirements
City map changes contingent on gaming license award
No license => map changes void
Required to replace fair market value of acquired parkland with replacement parkland or existing parkland improvements; plan to do a combination

+3 more conditions

Land-use review

CEQR: Other

Properties450 HUTCHINSON RVR PKWY

Legislation →ULURP case →

02LU 0324-2025C 250185 ZMMZoning MapLaid over

Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan

with 1 related matter · LU 0325-2025

The chair noted the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan only as the administration's separate Manhattan neighborhood rezoning effort; no testimony or decision on this item was recorded at this hearing.

Mandatory inclusionary housing

2,000 affordable

2,900 affordable

Conditions

southeast quadrant is underbuilt with unused FAR
modify proposal so surplus property air rights / TDR can be used
more than half of southeast quadrant in historic districts; 12 landmarks
POPS should not be the solution to open-space impacts
add targeted public realm investment fund, governing group, and concept plan to the zoning
keep all three MIH options and proposed densities through adoption

+6 more conditions

Land-use review

CB Manhattan CD 5 (majority) and CD 4 (smal Approve

CB CB5 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board Five Approve

CB Manhattan Community Board Five Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 4 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 5 Other

CB Manhattan Community Board 5 Approve With Conditions

CB CB5 Other

Where it standsCB Manhattan CD 5 (majority) and CD 4 (smal ✓→Committee→Full Council

Legislation →ULURP case →

Also in the record

Records not linked to a specific agenda item

The deal

Stories

20 fl

Mandatory inclusionary housing

Option 1

Citations & precedent

NYS Section 467M (Affordable Housing from Commercial Conversions Program)

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity (zoning text amendment)

Procedure

Satya Muthuswamy (applicant team) asked to state name for the record and sworn in before testifying on traffic — Satya Muthuswamy
Chair Riley hands off questioning to Council Member Kristy Marmorato — Kevin C. Riley
Satya Muthuswamy invites Nick (Nicholas Tortorella) to testify on ring road improvement specifics; needs to be sworn in first — Satya Muthuswamy
Nicholas Tortorella (Stonefield Engineering and Design, applicant team) states name for record and is sworn in — Nicholas Tortorella

+2 more procedural steps

The people

Public testimony: 13 in favor · 3 opposed

Practitioners & applicants

Jahaira Flores · Marcus Payne · Donald Brathwaite · Judy Durso · Gilberto Constantinez · Jacqueline Torres · Laura Guerrero · Raul Rivera · Elisa Tofa · Carmelo Satal · +30 more

The intelligence

Every parcel, owner, and applicant in this meeting, cross-referenced against Zonable’s NYC ownership, enforcement & legislative graph — the record behind the record.

Sign in for the full graph

Owner portfolios, open OATH/ECB violations, 311 & DOB permits across every parcel discussed, developer track records, and an “ask this meeting” chat.

Ask about this meeting

Chat with AI about this meeting. Free account required.