Bally’s Chicago Casino Halted Over Vendor Once Linked to Mob by FBI

Illinois Gaming Board halts construction on Bally’s Chicago casino over unapproved vendor.

• Dumpsters on-site were supplied by D&P Construction, once tied to alleged Chicago Outfit bosses.

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has ordered construction work to be halted on Bally’s $1.7 billion casino in Chicago’s River West neighborhood. That’s after The Chicago Sun-Times became concerned about the company supplying the dumpsters.

According to the Sun-Times, the on-site dumpsters are emblazoned with the logo of D&P Construction Co. According to the FBI, the company was 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.

Two decades ago, D&P was involved in the construction of the proposed Emerald Casino in Rosemont, Ill., near the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

The project was discontinued when the IGB cancelled the license after learning of concealed Mafia interest in the venture.

Red Flag

The IGB issued its order after reporters from the Sun-Times raised a red flag. The regulator said in a statement construction would be halted “pending IGB investigation into the use of undisclosed and unapproved vendors at the construction site.”

This raises several serious concerns as the IGB does not know who is associated with D&P and if any of those associations could potentially violate the Act or rules,” the agency added. “This matter is under investigation and the IGB has no further comment at this time.”

It is unclear whether D&P still has a relationship with the DiFronzo family, according to the Sun-Times. John DiFronzo suffered from Alzheimer’s disease late in life, dying in 2018 age 89. Peter DiFronzo died from COVID-19 complications in 2020 at 87.

For many years, Peter’s widow was listed as an owner of the company, but this is no longer the case.

Zero Mob Tolerance

Because of Illinois’ long and complex history with organized crime, keeping the Mob out of the gambling industry has always been a primary objective for the IGB.

Under state rules, operators can lose their licenses for employing, having business relationships with, or even socializing with “persons of notorious or unsavory reputation or who have extensive police records, or who have failed to cooperate with any officially constituted investigatory or administrative body and would adversely affect public confidence and trust in gaming.”

Bally’s confirmed in a statement in had been informed by the IGB that it was using an unapproved vendor and had been issued a stop-work notice.

“We appreciate the diligence and action of IGB. This is the process at work. We look forward to working with the IGB to eliminate the possibility of it happening again,” the company said.

https://www.casino.org/news/ballys-chicago-casino-halted-over-vendor-once-linked-to-mob-by-fbi/