Illinois regulators have given the green light to resume construction at Bally’s Chicago casino. Noted in a recent article, that’s two weeks after proceedings were halted over concerns about the reputed prior Mob connections of one of the companies involved. D&P Construction is a waste-hauling company once controlled by the late John “No Nose” DiFronzo, a former boss of the Chicago Mob, and his late brother, Peter DiFronzo, a reputed Outfit capo, the report says. The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) ordered construction work to stop after a reporter at The Chicago Sun-Times noticed the on-site dumpsters were emblazoned with the D&P Construction logo and informed the agency.
In this article, SBS will be covering the latest gaming updates coming from Illinois, along with some additional notes and info concerning the region and beyond.
Noted in the same article, the IGB halted the work “pending … investigation into the use of undisclosed and unapproved vendors at the construction site.” Earlier this month, the IGB said it was satisfied that “presently, no vendors are working on the casino construction project without IGB approval.” Bally’s had cooperated with the investigation, “addressed the disclosure failures,” and had assured ongoing disclosure of all future vendors, the agency said.
“With IGB direction and oversight, Bally’s is implementing required improvements to its vendor and contractor compliance process and protocols, along with additional steps to enhance monitoring, supervision, and surveillance of the construction site,” an IGB statement read.
According to the same article, D&P was also involved in the construction, a quarter century ago, of the failed Emerald Casino in Rosemont, Ill. The proposed casino would have been a stone’s throw from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the world’s biggest. Developers and politicians were drooling over the prospect of billions in profits and taxes. Work began on the project in 1999, but in 2001, the IGB revoked Emerald’s license, citing multiple violations. These included misrepresentations of the company’s ownership structure and hidden associations with links to organized crime. D&P involvement was also cited.
Rosemont’s late mayor, the late Donald E. Stephens, was dogged by accusations that he had connections to the Chicago Outfit for much of his political career. It is unclear, though the article notes, whether D&P still has a relationship with the DiFronzo family. John DiFronzo suffered from Alzheimer’s disease late in life, dying in 2018 at age 89. Peter DiFronzo died from COVID-19 complications in 2020 at 87.
Furthermore, for many years, Peter’s widow, Josephine DiFronzo, was listed as the owner of the company, despite a once-secret 2003 FBI memo stating that D&P was “controlled by Peter and John DiFronzo.” Law enforcement and federal prosecutors have noted that companies tied to organized crime families often list female relatives as nominal owners to skirt scrutiny. D&P is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State under a legal agent, a common practice among privately held firms that do not publicly list their ownership. Illinois’ long and complex history with organized crime means that one of the IGB’s primary objectives is keeping the Mob out of the gambling industry.
In other news, Illinois gaming adjusted gross receipts (AGR) totalled $162.6m in April, up 18.7% from April 2024’s $136.9m. Electronic gaming devices generated $122m, up from 17.3%, year-over-year, and table games produced $40.5 million, an increase of 22.8%. According to the Illinois Gaming Board, Rivers Casino led the market with $43.8m AGR. Wind Creek generated $17.1m, Grand Victoria Casino was at $12.6m, while Hard Rock Casino Rockford landed at $11.8m, just ahead of Bally’s Casino ($11m).
Hard Rock Casino Rockford had the most significant rise in AGR, per the article, increasing by 89.8% year-over-year, from $6.2m to $11.8m. Additionally, a new casino has opened at Fairmount Park in Collinsville, making the racing venue the first racino in Illinois. Parent company Accel Entertainment said the move involved an investment of $85m to $95m in casino facilities and improvements. In April, Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino and Resort announced the opening of its full resort, including its hotel and spa. The property opened its casino in November 2024. Indeed, with these metrics climbing year-over-year, this looks to be a promising summer for Chicago gaming enthusiasts. It will be interesting to see how this momentum holds moving into the warmer months.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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