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March 2, 2026

Bally’s buys Bronx casino site from NYC for $157M

Bally's Corporation has officially purchased the Bronx parkland where it will build one of three new casinos downstate after the company secured a gaming license in December. As first reported by the Commercial Observer, the company last week purchased the 16-acre parcel at 450 Hutchinson Parkway in Throggs Neck—formerly leased to Donald Trump—from the city for $156.6 million. The proposal survived a City Council vote that initially denied a crucial rezoning, a decision later overridden by a veto from former Mayor Eric Adams, keeping the project alive.
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March 2, 2026

FiDi office tower to become 796-unit residential building

RXR Realty secured a $420 million construction loan last week for an office-to-residential conversion that will transform a century-old Financial District office tower into 796 new homes. Affiliates of Apollo Global Management provided the financing to convert the 32-story 61 Broadway, with construction expected to begin later this month and the first residents projected to move in during the first half of 2028, according to Crain's. Roughly 200 of the apartments will be set aside for households earning 80 percent of the area median income (AMI).
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February 27, 2026

MTA revamps music program with themed monthly performances across NYC

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday announced an overhaul of its “Music Under New York” program, which brings live music to subway stations across all five boroughs. Renamed MTA Music, the program marks the 40th anniversary of the MTA’s Arts & Design initiative and features an expanded lineup of performers through 2026 and beyond. The relaunch includes a new monthly Station Series, bringing themed performances to five locations each month, with each showcase celebrating a different musical or cultural heritage alongside the program’s ongoing daily performances.
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February 13, 2026

8 spots to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics in NYC

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy are underway, with top athletes from around the world competing for gold. While the competition has already begun, sports bars across New York City are hosting watch parties and serving Olympic-themed specials. From screenings at AMC movie theaters to fondue at a cozy, ski-lodge-themed rooftop in Times Square, here are some of the best spots to catch the 2026 Winter Olympics in NYC.
ways to watch the games ahead
December 29, 2025

11 free New Year’s events and activities in NYC

New York City is arguably the world’s capital of New Year’s Eve celebrations, with over-the-top festivities happening across all five boroughs. But you don't have to break the bank to ring in 2026. Here are some of the best free ways to celebrate the new year in NYC, from dazzling firework displays above Prospect Park to scenic hikes and meditations in lush city parks.
Say goodbye to 2025!
December 22, 2025

Mamdani to host inauguration block party on Broadway

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will celebrate his swearing-in on January 1 with New York City's first-ever inauguration block party. The seven-block celebration along Broadway in Lower Manhattan is expected to draw over 40,000 spectators. Mamdani’s public swearing-in takes place at 1 p.m. on the steps of City Hall, alongside a massive block party between Murray and Liberty Streets. About 4,000 tickets will be available for the City Hall ceremony, while 40,000 tickets will allow attendees to watch the ceremony on big screens at the adjacent block party.
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December 16, 2025

New York board gives gaming licenses to 3 NYC casinos

New York City is officially getting three casinos. The State Gaming Commission on Monday awarded licenses for Metropolitan Park across from Citi Field, Resorts World NYC at the Aqueduct Racetrack, and Bally's Bronx casino in Ferry Point Park. The decision marks the culmination of a years-long competition for the downstate licenses.
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December 5, 2025

NYC’s most festive holiday bars and restaurants

Nowhere is as picturesque as New York City during the holidays, with iconic attractions like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Bryant Park's Winter Village, the Dyker Heights Christmas lights, and festive decorations brightening every street corner. Whether you're looking for a cozy spot to sip on seasonal cocktails or somewhere to enjoy over-the-top holiday-themed decor, the city offers many options to revel in holiday cheer. Ahead, find a list of festive bars and restaurants across NYC that will help you get into the holiday spirit (and spirits) this season.
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November 14, 2025

The 20 best heated and indoor rooftops to enjoy in NYC this winter

Peak rooftop season might be on pause until next summer, but panoramic skyline views can still be enjoyed from indoor and heated rooftop spots across New York City. Cozy restaurants and bars across the five boroughs offer the perfect way to scratch that skyline itch without braving the chill of the fall and winter weather. From heated terraces to glass-enclosed lounges, here are some of the best rooftops to sip a cocktail and take in the view.
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October 29, 2025

MTA completes five-year Grand Central-42nd Street station upgrades

After five years of work, the MTA has completed its long-awaited rehabilitation of three subway stations beneath 42nd Street in Midtown. The MTA on Tuesday announced the completion of the Grand Central–42nd Street Circulation Improvement Project, an effort that upgraded the Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central subway stations to improve accessibility and ease congestion for roughly 400,000 daily riders. Enhancements include new and widened staircases, additional escalators, and a 20 percent expansion of mezzanine floor space.
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September 30, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino proposal moves forward

Some good news for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. The billionaire's vision of a casino complex next to Citi Field is one step closer to becoming reality. On Tuesday, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing the bid unanimously approved "Metropolitan Park," advancing the proposal to the final stage: securing one of the state’s coveted downstate gaming licenses. Cohen's bid joins three other CAC-approved proposals: Bally's Bronx casino, MGM Empire City in Yonkers, and Resorts World NYC in Jamaica, Queens.
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September 26, 2025

Yonkers and Jamaica casino proposals advance

After several high-profile New York City casino proposals were rejected this month, two bids, in Queens and Yonkers, have advanced in the approval process. On Thursday, Resorts World NYC in Jamaica and MGM Empire City in Yonkers won unanimous approval from community advisory committees, sending the proposals to the state board. Both bids aim to convert existing gaming facilities into full-scale casinos, unlike other remaining plans, such as those in the Bronx and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which include entirely new developments.
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September 22, 2025

Casino next to the United Nations will not move forward

Freedom Plaza, the Soloviev Group's plan to bring a mixed-use development with a gaming facility on a vacant lot next to the United Nations, was rejected by the community advisory committee (CAC) on Monday. Since casinos pitched for Hell's Kitchen and Times Square also failed to advance last week, Manhattan won't be getting a casino after all, with the five bids remaining for the three downstate licenses are in the outer boroughs and Westchester.
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August 8, 2025

Track work to disrupt 4, 5, and 6 subway service for two weekends this month

Riders on the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines are in for two weekends of major service disruptions this month. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced track work will shut down service south of Grand Central–42nd Street from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday on the weekends of August 15 through 18 and August 22 through 25. Crews will be replacing the concrete beneath switches north of 14th Street.
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August 7, 2025

TF Cornerstone plans to convert Billionaires’ Row office tower into 350 apartments

A prominent New York City developer wants to convert a 32-story Billionaires' Row office tower into over 300 apartments, joining the city’s growing wave of office-to-residential conversions. As first reported by Commercial Observer, TF Cornerstone will convert Tower 57 at 135 East 57th Street into 350 apartments, 25 percent of which would be affordable to households earning 80 percent of the area median income. The project would take advantage of the state’s 467-m tax incentive program and new zoning tools included in Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes housing plan.
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July 31, 2025

Adams vetoes City Council’s rejection of Bally’s Bronx casino bid

Mayor Eric Adams has vetoed the City Council's rejection of Bally's Bronx casino proposal, potentially reviving the bid. On Wednesday, Adams announced his veto of the Council’s recent vote, which denied a crucial rezoning needed for the proposed gaming facility at the former Trump-owned Ferry Point Park. The Council now has 10 days to secure the 34 votes required to override the veto.
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July 17, 2025

NYC’s first wave of office-to-residential conversions could create over 17,000 new homes, report says

New York City’s first wave of office-to-residential conversions could yield over 17,000 new apartments, highlighting the potential for such projects to help ease the city’s housing shortage, according to a new report. Published on Thursday by City Comptroller Brad Lander, the report finds that 44 office conversions initiated after the pandemic could transform 15.2 million square feet of office space into as many as 17,400 homes over the coming years. However, the report warns that the city’s new 467-m tax break may be overly generous, potentially costing $5.1 billion in lost property tax revenue over 37 years.
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July 16, 2025

City Council rejects zoning changes needed for Bally’s Bronx casino proposal

Bally's plan to build a casino on a former Trump-owned golf course in the Bronx appears all but dead after the City Council rejected a key rezoning needed for the project. On Monday, the Council voted 29–9, with four abstentions, in favor of a motion by Council Member Kristy Marmorato to deny the land-use changes required to construct the gaming facility at Ferry Point Park, according to Crain's. The proposal is one of eight projects seeking a downstate gaming license.
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July 10, 2025

Former home of New York Stock Exchange in FiDi to become nearly 400 apartments

Plans were filed this week for another office-to-residential conversion in the Financial District. GFP Real Estate on Wednesday filed a permit application to convert the 20-story building at 40 Exchange Place into a mixed-use development with 382 apartments and retail space, as first reported by The Real Deal. The project is GFP’s latest conversion effort, following a $288 million construction loan secured in January for a similar project at 222 Broadway.
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July 9, 2025

New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

The City Council last month passed legislation that decriminalizes most street vending violations in New York City. Sponsored by Queens Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Intro. 47 removes misdemeanor criminal penalties for general and food vendors and reduces them to civil offenses instead. The legislation comes amid a sharp rise in NYPD enforcement: officers issued over 9,300 tickets to vendors in 2024, more than double the total in 2023, according to City Limits. With 96 percent of the city’s street vendors being immigrants, according to the Immigration Research Initiative, criminal penalties heighten the risk of deportation under the Trump administration’s intensifying immigration crackdowns.
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July 9, 2025

The 8 casino proposals competing for a downstate New York gaming license

Since New York approved three downstate casino licenses in 2023, some of the city's top developers have rushed to unveil grand proposals. Backed by billion-dollar budgets and celebrity partners, many of these bids have added affordable housing, transit upgrades, and public green space to help them stand out. Ahead, find an overview of the eight projects vying for one of the licenses, which will be awarded by the state by the end of the year.
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June 26, 2025

Silverstein adds 2,000 apartments to sweeten casino proposal for Manhattan’s west side

Silverstein Properties said it would develop more than 2,000 apartments through office-to-residential conversions on Manhattan's west side if its casino bid is awarded a license. The developer on Thursday announced a partnership with MetroLoft to develop the apartments, which would include 500 permanently affordable units, a day before casino proposals are due. The addition of housing sweetens Silverstein's $7 billion bid, The Avenir, which calls for a 1,000-room luxury hotel, restaurants, a food hall, and a gaming facility near the Javits Center. The previous plans had proposed 100 affordable apartments located off-site.
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June 13, 2025

Bronx casino bid at former Trump-owned golf course can move ahead after Council vote

A plan to bring a casino to a Bronx golf course once owned by Donald Trump took a step forward this week. The City Council on Wednesday voted 32-12 to pass a home rule resolution that allows state lawmakers to advance legislation supporting Bally’s Corporation’s proposed casino at the city-owned Ferry Point Park golf course, according to the Bronx Times. The approval authorizes the state to "alienate" the roughly 16-acre public parkland, a requirement whenever city-owned park space is repurposed for private use.
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June 10, 2025

How to celebrate Juneteenth 2025 in NYC

More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom finally reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Celebrated by Black Americans for over 100 years and only recently made a public holiday, Juneteenth commemorates that historic moment, seen as an occasion to honor resilience, uplift communities, and spotlight Black culture. This year, the festivities take on added significance as the holiday marks its 160th anniversary. Ahead, discover ways to celebrate Juneteenth in NYC, from free festivals in public parks to programming at some of the city's top museums.
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