Building a casino and careers: Chicago contractor aims to build up next generation

CHICAGO — Remnants of what used to be the old Chicago Tribune Printing plant, known as the Freedom Center, will play host to the new Bally’s Hotel and Casino.

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 casino’s interior demolition and overall construction.

One of the project’s construction leaders says his responsibility also means giving back to the community.

Of the nine companies, some are women and/or minority-led enterprises, such as Ujamaa Construction, Inc. Leading the charge is president and CEO Jimmy Akintonde, a great American success story in his own right, who emigrated from Nigeria as a teenager and hit the ground running.

“I came over when I was 17 years old to build and to design high-rise buildings,” he said. ” I went to IIT College of Architecture. I worked for an actual contractor for the first nine years and I’ve been running Jonathon Construction for the last 24.”

Akintonde says he learned the importance of role models, adding the importance of heeding their advice and giving back to the next generation.

“We always say, ‘You got to listen to your parents. You got to listen to your teachers,'” he said. “One of the things that I think all our members of the CCBC have been very active in is giving back to the community in terms of workforce development.”

By that, Akintonde means offering internships to Chicago Public School kids, which can be the first step to rewarding careers in trades in a variety of ways. While growing pains are expected, success is achievable, Akintonde added.

“Oh no, it’s not easy,” he said. “You gotta get back up.”

That perseverance has led to others taking notice and recognizing Akintonde for his excellence, 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 which include inviting teens and 20-somethings to take part.

“You can’t tell kids to be something they can’t see, so one of the things a lot of our members do as it relates to the community is giving back,” Akintonde said. “They have to see us working. They have to see themselves and what we’re trying to represent and share.”

What Akintonde and the CCBC do promise for the Chicago casino, which he considers to be the biggest and best construction project of his career, is a project that comes in on time and on a budget.

Shared success, Akintonde adds, is also a part of the achievement.

“The ability to have a lot of minorities in the workforce, great union projects and work for the city of Chicago. It will be able to keep a lot of people busy for a long time,” he said.

The target date to open the Bally’s casino is September of 2026.

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