Bally's alters construction on permanent Chicago casino amid dispute with city over video gambling

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Bally's has altered construction on its permanent Chicago casino in the River West neighborhood.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

The company is questioning the city's push to allow video poker and other gambling devices at bars and restaurants in the city.

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In June, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's law firm joined the legal battle over video gaming in Chicago.

Bally's casino says it hired the firm, RKF Global, to represent them in a possible lawsuit against the city.

Sunday afternoon, a Bally's spokesperson issued the following statement:
"Bally's issued a notification to the Chicago Community Builders Collective (CCBC) that it is resetting the pace of construction of elements of Bally's Chicago permanent casino. The potential for an uncontrolled proliferation of video gambling terminals (VGTs) is in breach of the City's commitment not to expand gaming in the Host Community Agreement (HCA) and creates uncertainty that could be harmful for Bally's Chicago prospects. Note that initial opening of the permanent Casino remains unchanged for early 2027 and Bally's Chicago intends to fully honor its commitments under the Host Community Agreement. We do not take this lightly because of the potential impact on many of the 1,500 union trades people who have been working hard to build Bally's Chicago. We will continue to assess our options, which we hope will include more productive discussions with the Mayor's Office and City Council."

Bally's is operating a temporary casino at the former Medinah Temple Building in River North as its permanent casino in the city's River West neighborhood is being built.