Bally’s To Pause Building Parts Of Chicago Casino Project Amid Fight Over Video Gambling Expansion
Bally’s is pausing construction on parts of its Chicago casino due to a dispute over video gambling expansion.Summary
Bally’s has announced a pause on construction for certain amenities at its Chicago casino project, including a hotel, event center, and restaurants. This decision stems from a dispute with the city regarding the approval of video gambling terminals, which Bally’s argues breaches its host community agreement and threatens its business prospects by potentially causing significant tax losses.
The pause affects approximately 1,500 union workers. While Bally’s maintains its goal to open in early 2027, the delay complicates the requirements of the host community agreement. City officials and local aldermen have expressed frustration, with some questioning if the construction pause constitutes a contract default, while others argue the city's gambling expansion undermines the original agreement.
(Source：Block Club Chicago)