New York — On the final day of a civil fraud trial that could strip Donald Trump of his ability to do business in the state he called home for most of his life, New York City officials took their own steps to cut ties with the former president by taking his name from a Bronx golf course.
The hulking “Trump Links” sign on the hill, visible to motorists passing the Whitestone Bridge for nearly a decade, was removed this week ahead of Thursday’s ribbon cutting to reveal the Ferry Point Golf Course’s new name, Bally Links. .
The rebranding came months after the Trump Organization transferred operations of the 18-hole public golf course to Bally’s Corporation, a gaming and entertainment company that hopes to build a casino in New York.
During the unveiling, Mayor Eric Adams described the lease takeover as a major upgrade for the Bronx. “This day is about so much more than changing a sign,” he said.
After the Jan. 6 insurrection, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio decided to scrap the contract with the Trump Organization, which had led the charge since 2015, arguing that Trump’s incitement of rioters had given the city the legal authority to do so. A state judge rejected that argument.
In September, the Trump Organization sold the operating rights to Bally’s for $60 million. The terms of the lease were first disclosed in November during the civil fraud trial, which examined the ex-president’s finances and the family business’s dealings.
Under questioning, the former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., said the family company had incurred “a lot of costs” in administering the course. He said he wasn’t sure if they were making a profit.
That process concluded Thursday and a decision was expected by the end of the month.
The former president changed his legal residence from New York City to Palm Beach, Florida, in 2019.