A $1.7 billion casino and resort project set to open in downtown Chicago next year is facing multiple lawsuits accusing it of violating the civil rights of white men. Bally’s Chicago is currently under construction and plans to feature a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, nearly 3,000 slot machines, 173 table games, a 500-room hotel tower with a large pool and spa, a fitness center, a sun deck, and a rooftop restaurant.
Bally’s Casino and the city of Chicago are being sued by two white men who claim their civil rights were violated. They say the casino project only offered women and people of color a 25% ownership stake.
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The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Richard Fisher and Phillip Aronoff. They claim they cannot invest in the Bally’s project because of their skin color.
In 2022, the city of Chicago awarded Bally’s its sole casino license. The casino pledged to “bring under-represented groups into the project –– and help build wealth in the local community,” the Chicago Tribune reports.
To fulfill this promise, Bally’s signed a Host Community Agreement with the city and committed to 25% minority ownership.
As such, for investors to participate in the casino’s $250 million initial public offering, they must meet the “Class A Qualification Criteria,” which includes being a minority or woman.
According to the Chicago city code, “minority” includes, but not limited to, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and American Indians.
“Bally’s casino should put this illegal investment on hold immediately. Withholding investment opportunities based on race is reckless and threatens the entire development. We are seeking a simple solution: The same investment should be open to all, regardless of race,” WILL associate counsel Skylar Croy said in a news release.
The plaintiffs are seeking a judge to force Bally’s to sell them Class A shares and to declare the agreement’s racial classifications illegal under federal law.
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In a separate lawsuit filed Thursday, Jan. 30, the Liberty Justice Center sued Mayor Brandon Johnson, the city of Chicago, Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Irvin, Bally’s Chicago Operating Company, and several Illinois Gaming Board members. This suit challenges the same Host Community Agreement and claims the agreement requires the project to meet race- and sex-based quotas for construction, hiring, board composition and ownership as a condition for city approval.
Bally’s Corporation, Mayor Johnson, the city of Chicago and the Illinois Gaming Commission have not yet responded to the lawsuits.
A $1.7 BILLION DOLLAR CASINO AND RESORT PROJECT SET TO OPEN IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO NEXT YEAR IS ACCUSED IN MULTIPLE LAWSUITS OF VIOLATING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF WHITE MEN.
BALLY’S CHICAGO IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND SET TO FEATURE A 3-THOUSAND SEAT THEATER, SIX RESTAURANTS, NEARLY 3,000 SLOT MACHINES, 173 TABLE GAMES, A 500-ROOM HOTEL TOWER WITH A LARGE POOL SPA, A FITNESS CENTER, A SUN DECK, AND A ROOFTOP RESTAURANT.
BALLY’S CASINO AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO ARE BEING SUED BY TWO WHITE MEN
WHO CLAIM THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED WHEN THE CASINO PROJECT ONLY OFFERED WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR A 25% OWNERSHIP STAKE.
THE WISCONSIN INSTITUTE FOR LAW AND LIBERTY (WILL) FILED THE LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF RICHARD FISHER AND PHILLIP ARONOFF WHO CLAIM THEY’RE UNABLE TO INVEST INTO THE BALLY’S PROJECT BECAUSE OF THEIR SKIN COLOR.
IN 2022, THE CITY OF CHICAGO AWARDED BALLY’S ITS SOLE CASINO LICENSE AND THE CASINO PLEDGED TO “BRING UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS INTO THE PROJECT — AND HELP BUILD WEALTH IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY,” THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE REPORTS.
TO MAKE GOOD ON THEIR PROMISE, BALLY’S SIGNED A HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENT WITH THE WINDY CITY AND COMMITTED TO 25% MINORITY OWNERSHIP.
THIS MEANS, FOR INVESTORS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CASINO’S $250 MILLION IPO THEY MUST MEET THE “CLASS A QUALIFICATION CRITERIA,” WHICH INCLUDES BEING A MINORITY OR WOMAN.
ACCORDING TO CHICAGO CITY CODE, “MINORITY” INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS, HISPANICS, ASIAN-AMERICANS, AND AMERICAN INDIANS.
“BALLY’S CASINO SHOULD PUT THIS ILLEGAL INVESTMENT ON HOLD IMMEDIATELY. WITHHOLDING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON RACE IS RECKLESS AND THREATENS THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE SEEKING A SIMPLE SOLUTION: THE SAME INVESTMENT SHOULD BE OPEN TO ALL, REGARDLESS OF RACE,” A LAWYER FOR THE TWO MEN SAID IN A NEWS RELEASE.
THE PLAINTIFFS ARE SEEKING A JUDGE TO FORCE BALLY’S TO SELL THEM CLASS-A SHARES AND TO FIND THE AGREEMENT’S RACIAL CLASSIFICATIONS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
IN A SEPARATE LAWSUIT FILED THURSDAY, THE LIBERTY JUSTICE CENTER FILED SUIT AGAINST MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, THE CITY OF CHICAGO, TREASURER MELISSA CONYEARS-IRVIN, BALLY’S CHICAGO OPERATING COMPANY, AND SEVERAL ILLINOIS GAMING BOARD MEMBERS. THE SUIT CHALLENGES THAT SAME HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENT (HCA). THIS LAWSUIT CLAIMS THE AGREEMENT REQUIRES THE PROJECT TO MEET RACE- AND SEX-BASED QUOTAS FOR CONSTRUCTION, HIRING, BOARD COMPOSITION, AND OWNERSHIP AS A CONDITION FOR CITY APPROVAL.
BALLY’S CORPORATION, CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND THE ILLINOIS GAMING COMMISSION HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE LAWSUIT.
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