No questions were taken and no new information regarding $1.7 billion Bally’s Chicago was disclosed in a brief September 14 webinar. The eight-minute conference call consisted of prepared statements by Bally’s Corp. Chairman Soo Kim and board member Wanda Wilson.
The purpose of the call, Kim remarked, was to reiterate Bally’s commitment to the controversial project. He said it remained on track for an early 2027 opening.
Kim also assured investors that Bally’s would make good on a $1.3 billion commitment to the City of Chicago in its host-community agreement. The Bally’s chairman insisted that Bally’s has kept up its end of the HCA bargain with the Windy City.
“Bally’s has worked diligently and in good faith with the city,” Kim said. He alluded to, but did not address, the issue of slot routes within Chicago, a flashpoint between Bally’s and local government.
The recent slowdown of activity at Bally’s Chicago was characterized by Kim as a “re-sequencing” of the resort. He said it had been misreported that construction had ground to a halt. “Construction continues every day,” Kim reported, with approximately 1,000 workers on site.
Kim said Bally’s was engaged in “disciplined capital allocation” and, prior to the slot-route dispute, “we were over-delivering on our promises.” He said Bally’s remained committed to the terms of the HCA, even while dickering with Chicago over gambling terminals in the city.
Kim concluded by saying Bally’s shareholders would be receiving invitations to Bally’s Chicago shortly. These would enable stockholders to tour the site and view construction.
“We’re incredibly excited by the progress,” enthused Wilson. She hailed the casino as “a truly transformational investment in Chicago.”
