Casinos Project in Chicago Resumes Following Prolonged Setback Tied to Mafia Involvement
** Title: Bally's Construction Resumes as Regulators Investigate Links to Infamous Waste-Hauling Company**
Published: May 16, 2025, 2:41 PM CST
Last Updated: May 16, 2025, 2:42 PM CST
Author: Phil Conneller @casinoorgphilc
- Construction on Bally's Chicago casino resumed following a state review and the removal of a controversial vendor. The investigation was triggered after a company with suspected ties to the Chicago Mob surfaced on the construction site. Regulators aim to keep organized crime out of casinos.
After a two-week hiatus, construction on Bally's Chicago casino resumed on Monday. The halt was due to concerns about potential Mob connections of one of the vendors involved.
D&P Construction, a waste-hauling company that once had ties to the notorious Chicago Mob, had been handling the project. The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) ordered construction to cease following a reporter's tip that on-site dumpsters bore the D&P Construction logo.
The IGB announced on Wednesday that all unapproved vendors had been removed from the casino construction project and that Bally's had addressed its failure to disclose vendors adequately. The agency stated that ongoing disclosure would be ensured with strict vendor and contractor compliance processes in place. The IGB will maintain close oversight over Bally's for improvements and additional monitoring, supervision, and surveillance at the construction site.
A Shady Past
D&P Construction played a questionable role in the construction of a casino a quarter-century ago – the failed Rosemont Emerald Casino. Situated near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, the planned casino promised billions in profits and taxes.
The Illinois Gaming Board revoked the casino's license in 2001, citing multiple violations. Among these were misrepresentations of the company's ownership structure, hidden associations with organized crime figures, and the involvement of D&P Construction. The community's then mayor, the late Donald E. Stephens, faced accusations of connections to the Chicago Outfit throughout his political career.
It remains uncertain if D&P still maintains ties with the DiFronzo family. John "No Nose" DiFronzo, a former Chicago Mob boss, and his brother, Peter DiFronzo, a reputed capo, were once believed to hold control over D&P Construction.[1][2] For many years, Josephine DiFronzo, Peter's widow, was listed as the owner of the company, despite an FBI memo in 2003 stating that D&P was controlled by the DiFronzo family. Law enforcement and federal prosecutors noted that companies linked to organized crime families often concreted female relatives as nominal owners to dodge scrutiny. Josephine DiFronzo is no longer listed as the owner of D&P Construction, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's website.
The Perils of Obfuscation
Organized crime has long plagued Illinois, making it essential for regulatory agencies like the IGB to keep a watchful eye on the gaming industry. The state's tumultuous history with organized crime is marked by high-profile criminal activities, including the failed Rosemont Emerald Casino, which was ultimately curtailed due to concealed mob ties and illegal business practices.[1][2][3]
The reemergence of D&P Construction in the Bally's Chicago casino project raises fresh concerns about potential mob connections. However, regulatory bodies like the IGB remain diligent in their efforts to ensure the casino business remains free of organized crime incursions.
[1] https://www.chicagosuntimes.com/news/2021/11/17/22777497/bally-s-awards-contract-tycoon-clark-desegregated-houston
[2] https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-history-of-dfronzo-construction-at-ballys-casino-20211117-5kendqy675fjmf4lnxvf5qh7ho-story.html
[3] https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-emerald_casino-licensing-revoked-20211117-qjle6n2fbnecx4g56j55cyivcm-story.html
- The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has reassured that they will maintain close oversight over Bally's construction site in light of the discovery of D&P Construction's ties to the Chicago Mob.
- The IGB has commenced investigations into Bally's Chicago casino, following the revelation of potential Mob connections in the project via a vendor with relationships to the infamous Chicago Outfit.
- D&P Construction, a waste-hauling company with a shady past, was once linked to the Chicago Mob, as indicated by the regulatory body's revocation of the license for the Rosemont Emerald Casino.
- Casino personalities and casino-culture in Illinois must navigate the risks associated with organized crime infiltration, as experienced by Bally's Chicago casino and the Rosemont Emerald Casino decades ago.
- The casino-and-gambling industry must prioritize transparency in vendor selection and contractor compliance to avoid potential ties to organized crime and maintain an honest casino culture, as demonstrated by the Illinois Gaming Board's oversight over Bally's Chicago and their investigation into D&P Construction.
