Bally's is using battle over video gambling as excuse to slow construction at casino site, aldermen say
Chicago aldermen accuse Bally's of using the video gambling dispute to delay the $1.7 billion casino project.Summary
A majority of the Chicago City Council has accused Bally's of using the ongoing battle over video gambling terminals as an excuse to slow down the construction of a $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West. The council, which rejected Mayor Brandon Johnson's corporate head tax and passed an alternative budget that legalized video gambling, contends that Bally's unilateral decision to pause construction of non-gaming elements violates the company's host agreement. The council demands that Johnson enforce the agreement and ensure Bally's delivers the complete project. Bally's has defended its actions, stating it understands its obligations and is ready to explain its reasons for slowing the project. Aldermen Brendan Reilly and Anthony Beale suspect the slowdown is a cash flow issue for Bally's, which has warned that legalizing video gambling would cost the city revenue and force renegotiation of the host agreement. Mayor Johnson has objected to legalizing video gambling, but Reilly argues that the mayor has an obligation to enforce the host agreement.
(Source：Chicago Sun-Times)