The lengthy process to excise former president Donald Trump’s brand from a New York City golf course finally came to a close on Thursday as leaders from the nation’s largest metropolitan area gathered to unveil a new sign.
Ferry Point, which sits in the Bronx alongside the East River, was officially renamed Bally’s Golf Links on Thursday and NYC mayor Eric Adams was on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Previously, the course had been known as Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point and was under the direction of the Trump Organization.
New year, new and improved sign!
Today @NYCMayor was proud to join Bronx leaders to cut the ribbon at the @BallySports Golf Links at Ferry Point Park.
This is yet another testament to the work we're doing to move this important borough forward for all who live and work there. pic.twitter.com/aRIt4Aw2Rw
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) January 11, 2024
The links-style golf course opened in 2014 and debuted at No. 2 for New York on Golfweek’s Best: State-by-State Courses You Can Play list in 2015, trailing only Bethpage Black. When Ferry Point opened, the city signed a 20-year agreement with the Trump Organization.
While the course opened beneath the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge (on the site of a former New York City landfill) in 2014, a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, designed by the architectural firm Hart Howerton, was completed in 2019.
But in 2021, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would terminate contracts with the Trump Organization in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, which sent lawmakers running for cover in fear for their lives and left five people dead and dozens injured.
A protracted two-and-a-half-year legal battle came to an end in October, leading to Trump’s name being removed from the golf course. Bally’s, which is hoping to work with the city to secure a valuable gaming license, is expected to assume the previous lease. Trump was in the ninth year of the lease with the city.
The Bally’s deal is similar to the one Trump reached with Hilton to buy him out of his lease with the federal government to operate the old post office in Washington D.C.
While many gathered at the golf course for the new sign unveiling, Trump was across town at his civil fraud case, but earlier in the day Nassau County authorities responded to a bomb threat at the home of state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the trial. The incident isn’t expected to delay closing arguments in the case.
“There was a threat. I can confirm a bomb threat,” said Al Baker, a court spokesperson. “As of now we are going forward as scheduled and the court proceedings and closing arguments are going ahead as planned.”
