Can the New York City Council overrule Mayor Eric Adams to prevent a casino from being established in the Bronx?
In a dramatic turn of events, the New York City Council is gearing up to attempt an override of Mayor Eric Adams' veto on the rejection of a key land use approval for the Bally's Bronx casino bid.
The Council's decision to challenge the veto comes after a 29-9 vote (with four abstentions) to deny the rezoning necessary for the Bally's casino project. Mayor Adams vetoed the decision, citing the need to keep the competition fair and ensure the Bronx has a chance in the casino licensing process.
Mayor Adams had emphasised that his veto was not a direct endorsement of Bally’s proposal but a move to avoid borough favouritism, as land use applications for other boroughs' casino bids had been approved while the Bronx's was rejected. The veto was also influenced by the advocacy of Bronx council members and Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who argued the Bronx deserves economic opportunities from the casino project.
Council Members Rafael Salamanca and Kevin Riley had called on Mayor Adams to issue the veto. However, in a statement, Mayor Adams criticised the City Council for favouring three other casino projects in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn over the Bronx.
The potential override vote could be a close call, with the current standing at 28 votes, six short of the required two-thirds majority. One council member, who remains anonymous, has indicated they would more than likely vote with the speaker in a potential override vote, despite initially voting against the rejection.
The council's next stated meeting is on Aug. 14, and a vote to override the veto would need to be scheduled before then. The council has a 10-day deadline (the length of which remains unspecified) to override the mayor's veto on the casino bid in the Bronx.
The veto revived Bally's Corp.'s bid to build a casino in the Bronx, a move that has been met with mixed reactions from the city's residents. The council speaker's office did not express support for the casino bid, but criticised the mayor's decision-making and conduct. The council spokesperson, Mara Davis, stated that the administration's hypocrisy and unethical conduct have been witnessed by all New Yorkers.
It's not yet clear whether the City Council's office will indeed attempt to override the veto. The council member who spoke anonymously did not clarify whether they would be able to secure the additional 6 votes needed for a two-thirds majority. Meanwhile, several members of the Bronx delegation want the Bronx to have the same chance to compete for the economic activity and investments that a casino could bring.
Reports suggest that members of Adams' inner circle have connections to Bally's, including his election lawyer Vito Pitta, who is a lobbyist for the project, and his reelection campaign chairman Frank Carone, who is a consultant for Bally's. However, Mayor Adams' decision-making is reportedly not related to these connections.
The council member who spoke anonymously did not disclose their own voting intentions for the potential override vote beyond indicating they would likely vote with the speaker. The Trump organization would receive a $115 million sweetener if the casino bid succeeds, but this fact does not seem to have played a role in the current political manoeuvring.
As the city watches this political drama unfold, it remains to be seen whether the City Council will be able to muster the necessary votes to override the mayor's veto and give the green light to the Bally's Bronx casino bid.
- The Council's potential override of Mayor Adams' veto on the Bally's Bronx casino bid could signal a shift in New York City's casino-and-gambling policy-and-legislation, reflecting the influence of political dynamics within the City Council.
- A successful override vote could potentially reshape the casino-culture in New York City, as the Bally's Bronx casino project would add to the existing casino games landscape, potentially generating more general-news headlines.
- The housing market in the Bronx could experience some indirect impact, depending on the economic opportunities and investments that might result from the casino project, should it be approved.
