Bally’s Not Rushing Tropicana Redevelopment, Sees Chicago Casino Opening Q3 2026
Posted on: May 1, 2024, 09:08h.
Last updated on: May 2, 2024, 09:39h.
On its first-quarter earnings conference call Wednesday evening, Bally’s (NYSE: BALY) told analysts it’s not rushing the issue of redeveloping the site of the Tropicana Las Vegas, and that it expects its permanent Chicago casino will open in the third quarter of 2026 as planned.
Bally’s CEO Robeson Reaves said Tropicana, which closed last month, remains on pace to be demolished in October, adding that the company is mulling alternatives for that site. That land is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ: GLPI) and nine of the acres are reserved for a Major League Baseball stadium.
We have absolutely no urgency whatsoever, as our option increases in value,” said Bally’s Treasurer Charles Diao on the call.
Diao noted the longer the gaming company waits to finalize a decision on the Tropicana, the more its option value increases and that its current capital requirements on the site are low.
There is “significant flexibility for an array of strategic options for the site, including new integrated resort and entertainment district at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip” and the Tropicana site could represent “expansion of the Bally’s brand at one of the busiest intersections in the country,” according to the operator’s investor deck.
Bally’s Answers Some Chicago Questions
Facing an $800 million funding gap and increasing criticism of its Chicago plans, Bally’s reiterated that it expects its permanent casino in the city will open in September 2026, and that it will have access to the Tribune site — the venue’s home — in July.
Bally’s temporary casino at Medinah Temple in the River North section of the city has posted six consecutive months of gross gaming revenue (GGR) gains, but some critics assert that’s because of heavy promotional spending.
That could be a sign that the operator is focusing more on bolstering its customer database and topline growth rather than ensuring profitability. In the investor presentation, Bally’s said more than 80K customers joined its loyalty program in Chicago in the first quarter compared with 60K last year. The company added that the temporary casino is the second-most visited gaming venue in Illinois and the second-largest as measured by table game revenue.
“I don’t know that there’s a science behind how much ramp is enough,” said CFO Marcus Glover on the conference call. “Right now, profitability is pretty light, but that’s intentional.”
Not Much Detail on Takeover Talk
On the call, there was no mention of conjecture regarding Bally’s potentially being a takeover target for GLPI. Likewise, executives didn’t expand on Standard General’s $15 per share acquisition offer floated in March, except to say that a special committee of independent directors continues to evaluate that bid.
Reeves also discussed the operator’s plans for New York, indicating that the state’s slow-moving process of awarding three downstate casino permits could be to Bally’s benefit.
“In New York, the licensing and approval process is extending further. We now anticipate a decision from the state no earlier than late 2025. While this delay will postpone the economic benefits from the planned integrated resort later into the future, it also reduces our immediate and medium-term financing needs,” concluded the chief executive officer.
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Last Comments ( 13 )
Don't bet on Bally's!
Look where Bally's stock price has been stuck since January 1st. It hovers in the $13.00 range nearly every day. Hitting $14.00 and staying above that seems to be realistically impossible for them!
How will Bally's be able to afford the construction costs of building two brick-and-mortar casinos (Chicago and State College) at the same time? When Bally's Corporation picked State College as the future site for their first land-based casino in Pennsylvania they at least had the foresight to minimize construction costs. Brilliantly (or perhaps not) they chose a vacant Macy’s store in the dying Nittany Mall. The actual building is already in place, the water/sewer/electricity infrastructure is ready to go and the parking lot (although crumbling badly) is ready for use. Only thing missing is approval and issuance of the casino's operating license. Easy peasy? No way. That's tied up in an ongoing legal dispute filed in 2021. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will make the official decision to approve or deny the license. They'll make that decision no earlier than this September. Fortunately, the builders of that former Macy's store gave Bally's a head start on the actual brick-and-mortar work. Too bad about the license battle. Folks in Happy Valley had really looked forward to playing slots and table games at their local shopping mall. Perhaps that wasn't the wisest business decision after all. Let's all watch Bally's stock (BALY) valuation closely. It might be able to briefly rise to just above $14.00 again soon. Focused emphasis here on "briefly."
Would Bally's really put their first Pennsylvania casino inside an old MACY's department store in State College? Why choose that already failed venue in the nearly empty Nittany Mall? There are a lot more fun destinations than that! Who's the Bally's rock star who chose this particular State College site back in early 2021? Maybe that rock star isn't even at Bally's anymore. What are the odds that a casino like this one will be a successful venue? No high-fives are planned following a business decision blunder like this one.
Every Bally's news release on their website mentions just two future Bally's brick-and-mortar casinos -- Chicago, IL and State College, PA. Why then do they NEVER mention the one planned for Pennsylvania?
This Bally Casino has been a scam from the beginning whatever happened to the $40 million that they gave Lightfoot live 2 miles away, but I never go there. I’d rather go to the Hard Rock and Gary.
Bally's (and others) apparently already forgot about the Chicago investigations reportedly going on about how Bally's was selected by the City of Chicago's leaders. Did the media also forget about that? Ask Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg if she forgot all about it. As Jacob McCandles would say in Big Jake, "Not hardly."
Bally's has absolutely no urgency whatsoever as their leverage grows and their stock price slinks closer and closer to zero... and their stock price fell yet again after this most recent earnings report. With Bally's, even the house doesn't win -- Bally's owners, partners, and customers are all losers!
The permanent Bally's Chicago will get only one chance to make that first impression with each new customer. Ask Bally's current hotel guests if they are genuinely happy with their most recent visits to some of the many Bally's casino hotel properties nationwide. Read the most recent online reviews for those Bally's properties posted in just the past six months. Now ask those same casino patrons how soon they plan to return. Are they telling their friends "That was sure a great time at Bally's last weekend! I enjoyed every minute. Let's go back there as soon as we can!" You won't really be sure if you don't look at those very recent reviews and get that current pulse check of what happening right now. Maybe repeating the same actions over and over again while expecting different results will not contribute to the increasing casino revenue that is being hoped for by Bally's Chicago. Those current customer reviews spell it out in real time.
The Bally's conference call today never mentioned their planned State College casino near Penn State University. On the Ballys.com website, look at the "About Bally's Corporation" portion of each Bally's news release posted there. They proudly mention Bally's is planning for "a land-based casino NEAR the Nittany Mall in State College, PA." Actually, Bally's first land-based casino in Pennsylvania is not planned to be NEAR the Nittany Mall. It will be located in a vacant former Macy's department store INSIDE that mall. Be sure to factor in the estimated $120 million price tag for that State College casino, especially during the continuing financial struggle Bally's is now experiencing. Can they still afford any new casino project? At least some of the necessary infrastructure in State College is already in place thanks to the builders of that old Macy's store. There will be no ground-breaking ceremony in Happy Valley until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decides whether or not to authorize the actual issuance of that casino's license that has been tied up in litigation for nearly three years now. The next questions for the media to ask Soo Kim should be about his yet-to-be-heard pledge for Bally's to see the State College, PA casino ribbon-cutting plans through to completion. Then ask who owns that former Macy's department store right now? What if that specific property owner changes their mind now about that planned Bally's casino? Who signed what, when, and why? There remains no done deal on the horizon for a Bally's casino in Pennsylvania. That is why it was never mentioned today.
Mike Pence had a more realistic chance of winning the 2024 Presidential election than Bally's now has in their hope to build a successful casino anywhere. Strong emphasis here on the word "anywhere."
Bally's stock (BALY) continues to struggle and continually fails to rise to even $14.00. Not just recently. Take a look at their YTD performance since New Year’s Day.
Bally's chances now for a successful new casino are identical to a blank vaccine card. They don't have a shot!