CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Opponents of Bally’s planned casino in the River North area are taking their case to the Illinois Gaming Board, which has the power to stop the project.
Bally’s application for a casino in River West is now before the Illinois Gaming Board.
The Washington D.C.-based group Stop Predatory Gambling and Illinois Churches in Action have sent a seven-page letter to the Gaming board urging them to reject the application.
The groups accused Bally’s of being—in their words–”financially wobbly.” That was an accusation by casino opponent’s during the City of Chicago’s approval process as well.
"That's the job of the gaming board to look into these things, and to make sure that not only can the casino sustain itself financially and not shut down because they don't have enough money to actually do what they're trying to do, but that they're operating in compliance with state regulations and they've proven that they can't do that," said Zach Savella Stallard, an organizer with Stop Predatory Gaming Illinois.
The letter also cites problems Bally’s has had in Rhode Island allegedly with unlicensed employees and the opponents say Bally’s has already ordered gaming equipment for the casino, even though the project doesn’t have final approval.
The letter compares Bally’s application to the one for the proposed Emerald Casino in Rosemont-a project the gaming board rejected in 2001 over concerns about mafia ties. There’ve been no allegations of organized crime involvement with the Bally’s bid.
These issues were aired before the Chicago City Council, but Stallard said the process was rushed, because the city was anxious to get the company’s $40 million upfront payment.
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