American Alliance for Equal Rights v. City of Chicago

Case Overview

Case Name: American Alliance for Equal Rights v. City of Chicago
Type of Case: Equality Under the Law
Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Case Number:
Filed On: 01/29/2025
Current Status: WILL was pleased to reach a settlement with Bally's Casino Chicago in June of 2025. Bally's also abandoned their discriminatory investment program.

Meet The Client

The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) is a civil rights organization run by Edward Blum, and is a sister organization to Students for Fair Admission, the group responsible for the landmark decision ending affirmative action in higher education.
Lawyers

Dan Lennington

Deputy Counsel
[email protected]

The City of Chicago will soon have a new casino: Bally’s Chicago. To be built on a 30-acre site, this development will include a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, a food hall, approximately 3,000 slot machines, 173 table games, and VIP gaming areas. Other features of the development include a 500-room hotel tower with a large pool spa, a fitness center, a sun deck, and a rooftop restaurant. The development cost will likely be more than $1.7 billion.   

Bally’s Chicago, Inc., a new corporate entity, has advertised an initial public offering to raise $250 million, but the investment opportunity is only open to “minorities,” identified elsewhere as “people of color” and “women.” These investors will own 25% of the financial interest of the casino development.

This race-based stock offering is illegal. Our client, AAER is seeking damages and an order opening up this investment opportunity to everyone, regardless of race.  

Press Release

Case Documents

Complaint, January 2025
Stipulation of Dismissal, June 2025