By:  Benyamin Davidsons

The Ferry Point golf course in The Bronx will have its name officially changed to Bally’s,  replacing the giant emblazoned Trump name.  As reported by the NY Post, the massive green berm will now say “BALLY LINKS”, replacing “TRUMP LINKS.”  Last Fall, the entertainment giant had purchased the lease of the golf course from the Trump Organization.

The oversized TRUMP LINKS logo had been visible to commuters driving over the East River on the Whitestone Bridge.  This week the signage will be replaced, a rep for Bally’s confirmed.  The change in signage will be a big change for New York, and for Bally’s, which is also submitting a bid to open a casino near the golf course.  “We are incredibly excited about this new chapter for Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. This course is one of the City’s crown jewels—an amazing public course right here in the Bronx—and we look forward to being both responsible and responsive stewards of this compelling community asset,” said Bally’s controlling owner Soo Kim.  Kim went on to give a nod to the Trump Organization.  “We want to complement the previous operator for maintaining the property at the highest standards and thank them for making this transition as smooth as possible,” he said.

Bally’s anticipated casino license application, includes using 17 of the 300 acres on the site to operate a casino.  Actually, about 10 acres would be dedicated to the casino, and the seven other acres would be turned into a green space and for other uses such as housing for workers, per the Post. The plan has already garnered support from Bronx elected officials.  “I’m excited for the future of Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point,” said Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.  “Bally’s has already had a positive impact on this community, and is committed to providing opportunities for economic growth and job creation. They have shown through concrete actions that they are a community partner you can count on,” the Bronx lawmaker said.

The property, which was once a garbage dump, is owned by the city.  Former President Donald Trump’s business empire obtained a 20-year contract in 2015 with the Parks Department to operate it as a golf course.  Last September, Bally’s purchased that contract from Trump Org, which is now led by Donald Jr. and Eric Trump.  The price for the contract may vary based on certain performance targets, and may exceed $100 million, per the Post.  Mr. Donald Trump, 77, who still stands a good chance of winning back the White House, had to unloading the golf course, amid his legal woes in New York.

Mr. Trump is facing $250 million in penalties and a ban on doing business in New York, with the judge overseeing the civil fraud trial expected to decide on the case later this month.  The Manhattan Supreme Court trial, which has been on intermission since Dec. 13, is slated to resume on Jan. 11 with closing arguments.  NY State Attorney General Letitia James is seeking over $250 million in repayments from the former president and his sons for alleged ill-gotten gains.

As per polls, Mr. Trump is still the presidential frontrunner for 2024 and the Republican nominee, despite all the suits stacked up against him.  In NY, the former president is accused of exaggerating the value of his assets by billions on yearly financial statements.