Chicago Aldermen Demand Bally's Fully Resume Casino Construction
More than two dozen Chicago City Council members sent a letter to Bally's on Wednesday, August 12, calling on the company to fully resume construction on its $1.7 billion casino development in the River West neighbourhood, following a dispute over the city's decision to authorize video gambling terminals citywide.
The letter, addressed to Christopher Jewett, Bally's senior vice president of corporate development, challenges the legality of a construction pause on the hotel and other non-gaming amenities planned for the site, arguing the city's agreement covers the complete development rather than the casino floor alone.
"Chicago did not enter into an agreement for a casino floor alone," the aldermen wrote, according to reporting that quoted the letter directly. "It entered into an agreement for the complete development Bally's promised to build."
Bally's Response
Bally's has said the slowdown on the hotel and restaurant portions of the project is tied to the council's decision to allow video gambling terminals across the city, which the company says could draw revenue away from its casino once it opens.
Casino Games Hub
Bally's told ABC7 Chicago it remains open to meeting with the City Council to discuss the dispute, and confirmed the casino itself remains on track to open in early 2027.
The standoff adds to a run of friction between the operator and city officials since Bally's won the rights to build Chicago's first licensed casino, at a site that also anchors a wider push by the city to expand its regulated online gambling and entertainment offering.
