CHICAGO — The new Bally’s Hotel and Casino is being built in the remains of the former Chicago Tribune printing plant, known as the Freedom Center.
While slot machines and table games will eventually fill the space, Bally’s Chicago Community Builders Collective, a joint venture of nine companies, is now responsible for the interior demolition and overall rebuilding of the casino.
One of the project’s construction managers says his responsibility also means giving back to the community.
Some of the nine companies are run by women and/or minorities, such as Ujamaa Construction, Inc. The company is led by its President and CEO Jimmy Akintonde, who himself is a great American success story, emigrating from Nigeria as a teenager and hitting the ground running.
“I came here at 17 to build and design high-rises,” he said. “I attended the IIT College of Architecture. For the first nine years I worked for a real contractor and for the last 24 years I have been running Jonathon Construction.”
Akintonde says he has learned the importance of role models and the importance of following their advice and giving back to the next generation.
“We always say, ‘You have to listen to your parents. You have to listen to your teachers,'” he said. “I think all of our members at CCBC are very active in giving back to the community by being involved in workforce development.”
By this, Akintonde means that he offers Chicago Public School students internships that in many ways can be the first step to a rewarding career in the skilled trades. While growing pains are to be expected, success is attainable, Akintonde added.
“Oh no, it’s not easy,” he said. “You have to get up again.”
Thanks to this persistence, Akintonde also attracted the attention of others who recognized his outstanding achievements, including former President Barack Obama, former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
At the company’s headquarters, his team meets regularly to discuss progress and goals, including inviting teenagers and young people in their twenties to participate.
“You can’t tell kids to be something they can’t see. Many of our members give back to the community,” Akintonde said. “They need to see how we work. They need to see themselves and what we want to represent and share.”
What Akintonde and the CCBC promise for the Chicago casino, which he considers the biggest and best construction project of his career, is that the project will be completed on time and on budget.
This achievement also includes shared success, adds Akintonde.
“The opportunity to bring a lot of ethnic minorities into the workforce, to do great union projects and to work for the city of Chicago. That’s going to keep a lot of people employed for a long time,” he said.
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The planned opening date of Bally’s Casino is September 2026.
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