Quoted from MrBally:Here's a few from 1981....
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Great pics and crazy to think the amount of money Bally had to spend on that place and it didn't last 10 years! If memory serves me correct they put it up for sale in 89????
Quoted from meSz:Great pics and crazy to think the amount of money Bally had to spend on that place and it didn't last 10 years! If memory serves me correct they put it up for sale in 89????
In May of 1989, Bally announced they were going to move their Gaming Equipment division to Las Vegas. This is what was in the 90 O'Leary Drive Bensenville plant at the time as Bally Pinball was already sold off to Williams.
The new Las Vegas plant had ground breaking later 1989 and was completed in 1991. The Bensenville plant was vacated in 1990 with everything that was moving loaded in several semi trailers with the service parts inventory taken to 777 2nd St in Reno to keep the service parts business operating. Slot Machine manufacturing took place there on a limited basis using the last of the 5000plus slot sub assemblies built in Bensenville until the plant at 6601 South Bermuda was up and running. Some of the trailers went directly to Las Vegas but were used as storage units on Bally property.
Quoted from MrBally:Here's a few from 1981....
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Love the sign pictures. I assume these show the heart breaker 
?
Quoted from Ballypin:Love the sign pictures. I assume these show the heart breaker ?
Thanks for the reminder, my therapist isn't in until Tuesday.....
Quoted from MrBally:In May of 1989, Bally announced they were going to move their Gaming Equipment division to Las Vegas. This is what was in the 90 O'Leary Drive Bensenville plant at the time as Bally Pinball was already sold off to Williams.
The new Las Vegas plant had ground breaking later 1989 and was completed in 1991. The Bensenville plant was vacated in 1990 with everything that was moving loaded in several semi trailers with the service parts inventory taken to 777 2nd St in Reno to keep the service parts business operating. Slot Machine manufacturing took place there on a limited basis using the last of the 5000plus slot sub assemblies built in Bensenville until the plant at 6601 South Bermuda was up and running. Some of the trailers went directly to Las Vegas but were used as storage units on Bally property.
I did'nt know that they built a bally plant in Vegas. That 6601 Bermuda address is right up the street where I grew up in Vegas from 1959 to 1980. It was desert back then. When I worked at the slot shop at the Maxim Hotel I used to have to pick up parts from Bally down on Industrial road I believe. What memories.
Quoted from jhanley:I did'nt know that they built a bally plant in Vegas. That 6601 Bermuda address is right up the street where I grew up in Vegas from 1959 to 1980. It was desert back then. When I worked at the slot shop at the Maxim Hotel I used to have to pick up parts from Bally down on Industrial road I believe. What memories.
Actually, that was a Highland Drive address. All of the building signage was supplied from the Chicago Belmont maintenance shop. Crazy...
Somewhere I have photos of the Bermuda plant under construction.
Quoted from MrBally:Actually, that was a Highland Drive address. All of the building signage was supplied from the Chicago Belmont maintenance shop. Crazy...
Somewhere I have photos of the Bermuda plant under construction.
Id like to see that. Out in that same area in the early 70's Louis Prima had a golf course called "Fairway to the Stars". My dad was good friends with him and golfed there a lot. I could'nt remember if it was Industrial or Highland where Bally's was at. Long time ago.
Quoted from jhanley:Id like to see that. Out in that same area in the early 70's Louis Prima had a golf course called "Fairway to the Stars". My dad was good friends with him and golfed there a lot. I could'nt remember if it was Industrial or Highland where Bally's was at. Long time ago.
Bally's 6601 South Bermuda Road, Las Vegas plant under construction in 1990
20201019_185359 (resized).jpg20201019_185422 (resized).jpg20201019_211049_001 (resized).jpg20201019_211552 (resized).jpgQuoted from MrBally:Here are a few photos from 1989 with the building renamed Moloney Coachbuilders. Yes, the grandson of Bally's founder, Ray Moloney, had a limousine, shuttle bus, ambulance and fire rescue manufacturing business and located it in the Bally building after Bally moved their plants to the Chicago suburbs and their headquarters at 8700 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue.
At first (around 1985) Just the Bally logo was removed and the sign said "Moloney Manufacturing Corporation". Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of that signage.
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Added over 4 years ago: In the top photo, which is looking North on Washtenaw, you can see the Henry Grebe shipyard which was just North of Bally's property.
All of this is gone and part of the townhomes that went up on the former Bally site. Ironically, the original name of the townhomes were marketed as "The Boatyard". I thought a tribute to Bally would have been more appropriate.
The WMS/Scientific Games employee parking lot (entry is on Roscoe/Hon. Louis J. Nicastro Way) abuts the Townhomes.
From my earlier post showing the Moloney Coachbuilders signage, I actually did take a few pics of the old Belmont plant signage right after the Bally sign came off and the Moloney sign went up. This was in 1985. Note the name Moloney Manufacturing Corp. backlit in neon as LED lighting was not yet commercially available.
Also note that the Bally Icon/man was painted green and no longer was lit.20201019_205735 (resized).jpg
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Bally Distributing of Nevada, 777 W. 2nd Street in Reno which became the temporary home of Bally Manufacturing Corporation's Gaming Division with limited manufacturing operations for several months while the new Las Vegas Plant was still under construction in 1991. These pics were taken in 1989, just before that all took place. The Bally Systems building was around the corner on Bell Street.
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Does anybody have any pics of the cabinet and paint shop? When they used to actually stencil the cabinet sides?
Quoted from Ballypalooza:Does anybody have any pics of the cabinet and paint shop? When they used to actually stencil the cabinet sides?
I have some of the Lenc-Smith cabinet plant in Cicero, which became a wholly-owned Bally subsidiary. I also have a few of the painting area at either Belmont or Bensenville.
Quoted from MrBally:I have some of the Lenc-Smith cabinet plant in Cicero, which became a wholly-owned Bally subsidiary. I also have a few of the painting area at either Belmont or Bensenville.
That’s great. You never see any of the painting action. Thanks much.
Quoted from MrBally:While not a factory building pic, here's one I found in the archives. From the 2000 World Gaming Congress show (Predecessor to Global Gaming Expo) in Las Vegas; Bally had this blimp flying around the Convention Center and Central Strip.
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So many cool pics and history Mr.Bally 
I think I have a few more pics, but I've been purging and packing things away for a move.
1st pic is in the Cicero Lenc-Smith plant.
2nd pic is in the Belmont plant.
3rd pic and article is in the "new" Lenc-Smith plant in Franklin Park
Last pic with Paragon cabinets is the the Bally Acorn Lane plant in Franklin Park.
20210204_161008 (resized).jpg20210204_161358 (resized).jpg20210204_161448 (resized).jpg20210204_161600 (resized).jpgQuoted from MrBally:Last pic with Paragon cabinets is the the Bally Acorn Lane plant in Franklin Park.
And stacks of KISS cabinets in the background!
Quoted from MrBally:I think I have a few more pics, but I've been purging and packing things away for a move.
1st pic is in the Cicero Lenc-Smith plant.
2nd pic is in the Belmont plant.
3rd pic and article is in the "new" Lenc-Smith plant in Franklin Park
Last pic with Paragon cabinets is the the Bally Acorn Lane plant in Franklin Park.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Thank you for posting your photos! Forgive me for asking if you already posted the answer to this question. Were you a employee , operator or subcontractor?
Quoted from Ballypin:Looks like the Franklin Park Lenc-Smith picture is Skateball being stenciled.
It does look like a Skateball cabinet. Reading the text and doing the math results in some pretty incredible stats. At 600 games per 8 hour day equals one game completed every 48 seconds. Not taking into account holidays, that equals 156,000 games per year. Really astounding.
Quoted from ultimategameroom:Thank you for posting your photos! Forgive me for asking if you already posted the answer to this question. Were you a employee , operator or subcontractor?
I worked for a large route operator for about six years. I also left and went to the distributor Empire/Bally Midwest for a short time. The route operator owners came in and talked to the distributor's GM, who pulled me into his office and said I should go back to the Operator. They matched my pay and slightly increased it. Kind of like blackmail but I was quite young.
If you read my profile story, It might explain why you see these photos a bit more.
Quoted from eagle18:I did some research yesterday and it looks like the “Bally Man” started appearing on apron decals with Hocus Pocus in April 1975 and ended with Dolly Parton in November 1979. Although it wasn’t on Future Spa in October 1979.
“Bally Man” is on my Sea Ray apron...1971.
Quoted from eagle18:After more research it seems to have started in November of 1968 with MiniZag, and. ended in November 1979 with Dolly Parton.
Nice find.
Gord
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-man-wall-art-project
You can check out my Bally Man project here 
Quoted from Hop-Pac:https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-man-wall-art-project
You can check out my Bally Man project here
I just did and it turned out awesome!!
Quoted from Hop-Pac:You can check out my Bally Man project here
You did a beautiful job on that!
Oh man, that article is great addition to the history of pinball... I think it has the ONLY photo I've ever seen that shows the paint production process actually taking place on a cabinet - one dude shooting lacquer while the other holds the stencil in place... now I've got more questions... did the cab then get shot the same way on the other side? How about the heads...
Would LOVE to know the Devilbiss model sprayers they used, as well as being able to see and hold a sheet of stencil material.
Great stuff, simply awesome.
Quoted from MrBally:The old Bally Bingo pin factory on Roscoe right across from Williams/United is now an Eye Care for Animals clinic.[quoted image]
Adding on to Post #95:
I just found this pic I took of the Bally Bingo plant around 1975 which also doubled as a staging area for the Aladdin's Castle arcade operations. It had recently been renamed from Carousel Time, Inc.
On Roscoe, East of North California. Directly South of Williams/United.
Note the two AMC classics parked in front along with a sporty Ford Maverick. Or maybe it's a Mercury Vomit.
Quoted from MrBally:Adding on to Post #95:
I just found this pic I took of the Bally Bingo plant around 1975 which also doubled as a staging area for the Aladdin's Castle arcade operations. It had recently been renamed from Carousel Time, Inc.
Note the two AMC classics parked in front along with a sporty Ford Maverick. Or maybe it's a Mercury Vomit.
[quoted image]
I also see the back end of a classic Cutlass
Quoted from MrBally:Adding on to Post #95:
I just found this pic I took of the Bally Bingo plant around 1975 which also doubled as a staging area for the Aladdin's Castle arcade operations. It had recently been renamed from Carousel Time, Inc.
Note the two AMC classics parked in front along with a sporty Ford Maverick. Or maybe it's a Mercury Vomit.
[quoted image]
Love the photos you posted, thanks!
Not to derail this thread, but was Bally production moved to WMS when WMS purchased the Pinball division, or did a Bally plant stay open?
Amazing, this building still looks the same today.
Never realized before that Williams and Bally were across the street from each other.
Quoted from MrBally:Adding on to Post #95:
I just found this pic I took of the Bally Bingo plant around 1975 which also doubled as a staging area for the Aladdin's Castle arcade operations. It had recently been renamed from Carousel Time, Inc.
On Roscoe, East of North California. Directly South of Williams/United.
Note the two AMC classics parked in front along with a sporty Ford Maverick. Or maybe it's a Mercury Vomit.
[quoted image]
Quoted from Homeslice666:Not to derail this thread, but was Bally production moved to WMS when WMS purchased the Pinball division, or did a Bally plant stay open?
Williams made Bally-branded pinballs at their plant at 3401 North California Ave. We saw it on a Pinball Expo factory tour. But keep in mind that Bally only sold off the Midway Games division (including pinball), but stayed in the manufacturing business for gambling devices.
.................David Marston
Quoted from Homeslice666:Not to derail this thread, but was Bally production moved to WMS when WMS purchased the Pinball division, or did a Bally plant stay open?
At the time of the sale of the Bally/Midway Novelty game assets, the Pinball equipment and assets
were taken from 90 O'Leary Dr. in Bensenville and 10601 Belmont in Franklin Park (Video game assets too) to 3401 N. California in Chicago. As David noted above, Bally continued to make Slot Machines in Bensenville. Ironically, the Midway touch screen counter top machines were built in the former Bally Bingo plant on Roscoe. Also 10601 continued making fitness equipment as Life Fitness was a Bally division at the time. Video game production was quite small as the market was small.
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