PROVIDENCE, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY and BALY.T) today announced that it has completed the previously announced sale lease-back of certain real property interests underlying Bally’s Kansas City and Bally’s Shreveport to Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ: GLPI) in a transaction valued at $395 million in the aggregate, inclusive of $7 million in LP units and $388 million in cash. The sale lease-back consideration includes approximately $56 million reimbursement of prior capital expenditures at the properties, with the balance as gross sale proceeds. Bally’s will use the proceeds from the sale lease-back transaction to pay down amounts drawn against its $620 million revolving credit facility, of which $350 million was drawn as of September 30, 2024, with the balance to be allocated for capital expenditures and general corporate purposes.
The leases for Bally’s Kansas City and Bally’s Shreveport have been added to a new Master Lease (“MLA#2”) that is cross-defaulted with Bally’s existing Master Lease with GLPI. Initial cash rent for MLA#2 is $32.2 million on an annual basis, including customary annual escalators.
Marcus Glover, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bally’s, commented, “We are pleased to complete this transaction as it further solidifies Bally’s financial position and enhances Bally’s strong strategic partnership with GLPI. The proceeds from the monetization of the real estate underlying our Kansas City and Shreveport properties provide us with additional liquidity and flexibility to deploy capital towards our permanent casino project in Chicago and other exciting growth opportunities.”
About Bally’s Corporation
Bally’s Corporation is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence, currently owning and managing 15 casinos across 10 states, a golf course in New York, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and having access to OSB licenses in 18 states. The recent acquisition of Aspers Casino in Newcastle, UK, further expands its international footprint and enhances its diverse entertainment offerings. It also owns Bally’s Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, interactive gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform.
With 10,600 employees, the Company’s casino operations include approximately 15,300 slot machines, 580 table games, and 3,800 hotel rooms. Bally’s also has rights to developable land in Las Vegas post the closure of the Tropicana.
Upon completion of the announced merger with The Queen Casino & Entertainment Inc. (“Queen”), the above portfolio is expected to be supplemented with four additional casinos across three states, one of which will be an additional state that expands Bally’s jurisdiction of operations to include the state of Iowa. Queen will also add over 900 employees, and operations that currently include approximately 2,400 slot machines, 50 table games, and 150 hotel rooms to the Bally’s portfolio. Bally’s will also become the successor of Queen’s significant economic stake in a global lottery management and services business through its investment in Intralot S.A. (ATSE: INLOT).
