Bally’s Chicago faces $3.8m payment dispute with former contractor
The contractor has filed mechanics liens, including for amounts it says are owed to two minority-owned subcontractors.
U,S,.- MGM Excavating has filed mechanics liens in Cook County Circuit Court against Bally’s Chicago and the Chicago Community Builders Collective (CCBC), the general contracting partnership overseeing the development of the project. The company is seeking more than $3.8m for work completed at the River West site through March.
The amount includes $2m said to be owed to BBD Trucking and $700,000 owed to E. King Construction, two minority-owned subcontractors. BBD Trucking Vice President Sharonda Williams said the company completed its work and submitted its invoices but has not been paid.
Bally’s said it has paid CCBC in full and that the general contractor is withholding the funds pending an accounting investigation. The investigation follows allegations that an unnamed company hired by an MGM subcontractor was not approved by the Gaming Board to work at the site.
“Bally’s has fulfilled its payment obligations to CCBC, which serves as the stewards of those funds,” the company said. “Any outstanding payment dispute is between CCBC and the subcontractor and does not involve an unpaid obligation by Bally’s.”
CCBC said it is working to resolve the dispute with a former contractor and its vendors. BBD said CCBC contacted the company this week requesting documentation related to its outstanding invoices.
Meanwhile, MGM denies employing an unlicensed vendor and continues to seek payment alongside its subcontractors. The Lombard-based company worked on the development after construction began at the former Tribune printing plant in February 2025. It says payments stopped in March 2026 and it stopped working as a result, while CCBC said the contractor was terminated.
