Poker Writer
Bally’s is altering construction plans for its upcoming permanent Chicago casino following the city’s agreement to allow video poker and other gambling devices at various establishments across the city.
The casino, which had issues with construction continuation last year, has now been put on hold once again. The construction is supposed to be finished by 2027, but the abrupt stop has created another wrinkle in the plans, as workers are now forced to leave the construction site in the River West neighborhood.
As of Monday morning construction on the hotel side of the resort has been halted while for now a few workers remain for construction on the casino itself.
Dispute Over Union Trade Workers
There is now a dispute between Bally’s and the City of Chicago over the union construction workers. 15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez fired an accusation at Bally’s:
Bally’s is trying to use our workers as leverage against us, the city of Chicago, who are trying to manage budget shortfalls and missed expectations
Bally’s acknowledged the potential damage to the 1,500 union trade workers who would be impacted by a construction stoppage. Bally’s also hopes that the early 2027 opening date will not be disrupted
Video Game Terminals Break Agreement
According to Bally’s, expanding video game terminals (VGTs) in Chicago would breach the city’s commitment not to expand gaming under the Host Community Agreement. Having VGTs present all around the city would be harmful for the Bally’s Chicago casino, as it would give people an easy outlet for gambling, so they would not have to visit the casino.
The expansion of VGTs has not been confirmed in Chicago, as the city’s leaders have been deeply divided over the issue for several months. Proponents say that the VGTs would give struggling businesses a much-needed revenue boost.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has sided with Bally’s in the debate. He has long been opposed to allowing VGTs in bars and restaurants.
Bally’s is prepared to take drastic action beyond the stopping of construction in an attempt to force the city to abandon VGT plans. The gaming company stated in June that it would pursue every legal action if the terminals went live, including lawsuits. Bally’s has hired the firm RKF Global to represent it in a possible lawsuit against Chicago.
Construction Disrupting Daily Life in River West
According to many on Instagram, the construction disputes over the Bally’s new site in the River West neighborhood is causing some big disruptions to day-to-day life. Many comments with many likes urge “open the streets,” as some surrounding streets have been shut down, causing traffic headaches in the north-central area of the metropolis.
One commenter said: “Citizens living in the River West neighborhood straight up deserve to be compensated”.
Some also noted that there are crew and trucks operating on the site as usual. So, it appears that not all of the workers have been sent away.
