Bally’s Corporation has officially entered into a definitive merger agreement with Standard General L.P., marking a significant milestone in the company’s history. This merger, valued at approximately $4.6 billion, is set to reshape the landscape of the gaming and entertainment industry.
The journey to this agreement has been a long one, with Standard General making several acquisition attempts over the years. The initial bid in 2022 was at $38 per share, followed by a lower offer of $15 per share earlier this year. This lower bid faced criticism from Bally’s investor K&F Growth Capital, which accused Soo Kim and Standard General of attempting to acquire Bally’s at a fraction of its fair value, leveraging Bally’s already stretched balance sheet.
The final agreed-upon offer stands at $18.25 per share, representing a 71 percent premium on the volume-weighted average price per share as of 8 March, 2024, the last trading day before the initial cash acquisition proposal of $15.00 per share. This premium underscores the value and potential that Standard General sees in Bally’s.
As part of the merger, Bally’s will combine with The Queen Casino & Entertainment (QC&E), a regional casino operator majority-owned by Standard General. This strategic move will add four complementary properties to Bally’s existing portfolio of 15 domestic casino properties, enhancing geographic and market diversity.
Expansion of casino property portfolio
Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s, (pictured above), expressed optimism about the merger, stating, “The addition of four complementary properties through this merger to our existing 15 domestic casino properties will add further geographic and market diversity to our portfolio. With QC&E’s development pipeline recently completed or already well underway, we see a path toward additional revenue and EBITDAR growth and value accretion as those projects are completed in 2025. We look forward to bringing our ultimate vision to bear and to working closely with the Standard General team to execute on that vision.”
The transaction values Bally’s at approximately $4.6 billion in enterprise value. Under the Securities Act of 1934, the combined company will remain a publicly traded registrant, allowing Bally’s stockholders to retain their stock in a rollover election to the combined company.
Soo Kim, Managing Partner of Standard General, highlighted the benefits of the merger for Bally’s stockholders, stating, “The transaction provides Bally’s stockholders with a significant cash premium along with certainty of value for their investment or, if they elect to retain their shares, the opportunity to participate in the longer-term growth prospects of our expanded portfolio and significant development pipeline. The addition of the complementary QC&E assets builds upon the Company’s attractive growth profile. We look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the Company’s senior management team as they continue to execute on their business plan.”
This merger comes on the heels of Bally’s securing $2.07 billion in funding for its Chicago Casino and Hotel Tower, further solidifying its position in the market and paving the way for future growth and expansion.
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