Contrary to popular belief that its two opulent hotel towers would open alongside the Oakland A's $2 billion ballpark on the former Tropicana site, Bally's executives told Nevada gaming regulators on Thursday, June 25, that the company never intended to open a new Strip casino-resort by April 2028.

The explanation was made during a hearing on licensing and registration issues held by the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC). It came after SFGate reported on June 16 that the Bally's construction was "lagging" and that this was "causing problems for the A's Las Vegas ballpark dream."

NGC commissioner Brian Krolicki pressed Bally's representatives for an explanation and an update, pointing out that the Tropicana was demolished and imploded in 2024 to make room for the A's stadium and a future Bally's resort, and that the company had previously stated it hoped to start construction in the first half of 2026.

Bally's attorney Dan Reaser said that the timeframe that was being shared with the public was inaccurate.

“To make the record clear, the April deadline of 2028 is for the stadium to open and for the baseball season to proceed,” he said. “The April 2028 timeline is for the retail district, parking garage, utilities, and plaza, but not the towers that come at a later date.”

Bally's land-use petitions with Clark County are still pending, according to Reaser, and the business is still seeking Federal Aviation Administration permission regarding the height restrictions for its two proposed hotel towers.

Bally Low?

The CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Steve Hill, was quoted by The Athletic on June 16 as stating that Bally's "still does not 'have the financing in place to do it'" and that the stadium authority has given the corporation until August to complete a plan.

Commissioners questioned Bally's over its Lake Tahoe property in light of this. Mira Mircheva, chief financial officer of Bally, said that performance has been impacted by recent investments made by rival properties. According to her, Bally's is starting to enhance its operations and make capital changes.

“It would be ideal from our standpoint to have amenities available when the stadium opens,” Mircheva said. “But again, we’ll have to firm up the timeline once we have the entitlement approvals.” She added that “common infrastructure is progressing — the podium, electric, and other utilities.”

Krolicki agreed that regulators had a strong obligation to keep a careful eye on these enormous Strip developments.

“We’re all watching and we just can’t wait for it to get done,” Krolicki said. “I’m sure you will execute it as expeditiously as possible.”