Bally’s Chicago Casino Hosts Diversity Vendor Fair on June 11


Bally’s Chicago Casino Hosts Diversity Vendor Fair on June 11

Hundreds of diverse businesses registered to learn about sourcing opportunities


(CHICAGO) – Bally’s Chicago Casino hosted a Diversity Supplier Vendor Fair on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chicago Teachers Union Hall, 1901 W. Carroll.

“For Chicago’s first and only casino, it’s essential that our diverse business community is given ample opportunity to have a seat at the table,” said Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., whose 27th Ward is home to the future casino in River West. “It’s exciting to see so many minority, women, veteran and disabled-owned businesses attend the diversity vendor fair to explore opportunities for partnering with Bally’s.”


The vendor fair provided minority (MBE), women (WBE), veteran (VBE) owned businesses and Business Enterprises owned by People with Disabilities (BEPD) the opportunity to meet with representatives from Bally’s Chicago Casino’s Operation and Construction divisions. No prior diversity-related certifications were required to attend.


“This event is a wonderful opportunity for our local minority, women, veteran and disabled-owned businesses to network with industry leaders and showcase their breadth of experience,” said Raffi Sarrafian, Cook County's Chief Procurement Officer. “By fostering these vital connections, we are not only supporting our diverse business community but also driving economic growth and inclusion across Cook County."


“Supporting local businesses, particularly those that represent the rich diversity of Chicago, is a key goal of Bally’s Chicago Casino and we are dedicated to partnering with them to create a thriving community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed,” said Mark Wong, VP and General Manager of Bally’s Chicago Casino. “We are proud to welcome hundreds of minority, women, veteran and disabled business leaders to our first annual Bally’s Chicago Casino Diversity Vendor Fair – a pivotal next step as we prepare to build, open and run our permanent facility.”


A current vendor of Bally’s Chicago Casino is JR Dessert Bakery, a woman-owned business for more than 40 years in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood, located at 2841 W. Howard Street. JR Dessert Bakery provides pastries, cookies and more for Wabash Café at the Medinah Temple casino.


“We were thrilled when Bally’s reached out to us about a partnership at their new casino,” said JR Dessert Bakery owner Natalie Kaplan. “The leadership team is clearly invested in giving local minority- and women-owned companies as much business as possible. The onboarding process was seamless, and we have seen a steady stream of orders since day one.”

 

The following Bally’s divisions were available to share information and answer questions: 


  • Purchasing
  • Marketing
  • Gaming Operations – Tables/Slots
  • Human Resources/Wardrobe
  • Food & Beverage
  • Facilities & Building Services
  • Security & Transportation
  • Finance & Player Services
  • IT
  • Permanent Facility Construction


Chicago Community Builders Collective (“CCBC”), the minority-led general contractor for building Bally’s Chicago Casino’s facility, conducted a presentation regarding the upcoming scope of work opportunities on the permanent facility, during the vendor fair.

 

Scopes of Work presented:


  • Doors and Frames - Casino
  • Doors and Frames - Hotel
  • Doors and Frames - Event Center
  • Overhead Doors
  • Loading Dock, Vehicle and Pedestrian Equipment
  • Interior Glass Glazing
  • Hotel Glazing Visual Mockup
  • Other New Construction-related Scopes of Work


 

Overall, contractors, vendors and suppliers gained comprehensive insight into the bid documents, the various scopes of work and any requirements for project consideration. Additionally, primes/tier-1 contractors, MBE/WBE/VBE/BEPD contractors, suppliers, vendors and other professional services firms had the opportunity to build partnerships with peers and members of CCBC for other potential business opportunities.


Representatives from the City of Chicago’s Office of Contracting Equity, the Cook County Office of Contract Compliance, the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (“ChicagoMSDC”) and the Women’s Business Development Center (“WBDC”) were also on-site to conduct presentations and answer questions about completing their diversity certification application process.

Additional organizations represented at the fair included the State of Illinois Business Enterprise Program (BEP), and BMO Bank - Zero Barriers to Business program. 


The event also included an open forum for networking and a host of scheduled activities.


About Bally's Corporation 

Bally's Corporation is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence. It currently owns and manages 15 casinos across 10 states, a golf course in New York, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and has access to OSB licenses in 18 states. It also owns Bally's Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, online gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform. With 9,900 employees, the Company's casino operations include approximately 15,000 slot machines, 550 table games and 3,900 hotel rooms. Upon completing the construction of a permanent casino facility in Chicago, IL, and a land-based casino near the Nittany Mall in State College, PA, Bally's will own and/or manage 16 casinos across 11 states. Bally’s also has rights to developable land in Las Vegas post the closure of the Tropicana. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BALY".


About the CCBC

Chicago Community Builders Collective (CCBC) is a minority-led construction partnership between Brown & Momen Inc., d’Escoto Inc., LiveWire Construction, Milhouse, Powers & Sons Construction, SQN Associations, Ujamaa Construction Inc., Riteway-Huggins Construction Inc., and Gilbane Building Company. CCBC is serving as the general contractor for the Bally’s Chicago Casino Project. Bally’s Chicago Casino will be a flagship for Bally’s Corporation, creating a world-class casino, entertainment district, and hotel.

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