Soo Kim runs Bally’s Corporation as executive chairman, a title he took on in January 2026. He built his career at the investment firm Standard General, now Bally’s largest shareholder. Kim also chairs The Star Entertainment Group in Australia.
Who Is Soo Kim?
Soo Kim is the executive chairman of Bally’s Corporation. That’s the casino operator behind Bally Bet and a growing list of US regional and destination casinos. He is also the founding partner, managing partner, and chief investment officer of Standard General. It’s a New York investment firm he co-founded in 2007.
Kim joined Bally’s board as an independent director in 2016. He became non-executive chairman in 2019. Then, in January 2026, Bally’s named him executive chairman, expanding his role beyond the board.
Outside gaming, Kim studied at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He now splits his time between Bally’s US expansion and a growing role at The Star Entertainment Group in Australia.
Soo Kim’s Career at Bally’s Corporation
Soo Kim spent years shaping Bally’s from the boardroom before stepping into an operating role. Standard General first backed the company in 2016, when it was still known as Twin River Worldwide Holdings.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2016 | Joins Twin River (later Bally’s) board as independent director |
| 2019 | Named non-executive chairman of the board |
| 2022 | Bally’s completes the Tropicana Las Vegas acquisition |
| Feb 2025 | Standard General completes $4.6 billion merger, becomes Bally’s largest shareholder |
| Jan 2026 | Named executive chairman, taking on day-to-day leadership |
As a result, Bally’s expanded well beyond its regional roots, chasing casino licenses in Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas.
How Soo Kim Built Standard General
Before gaming, Soo Kim built a career in distressed debt and special situations investing. He started as an analyst at Bankers Trust Company in 1997, moving to Och-Ziff Capital Management for six years to lead special situations strategies.
Kim co-founded Cyrus Capital Partners before launching Standard General in 2007. He has also served on the boards of Greektown Superholdings, Media General, and ALST Casino Holdco. Standard General takes a private equity style approach to public companies. For example, that same approach shows up in how it handled Bally’s.
First came a gradual board position. Then, in February 2025, Standard General completed a $4.6 billion merger combining Bally’s with its own Queen Casino holdings. Shareholders could take $18.25 a share in cash or roll their stock into the combined company.
Soo Kim’s Biggest Bets: Bally’s Chicago and New York
Soo Kim’s highest-profile bet is Bally’s Chicago, a $1.7 billion casino, hotel, and entertainment complex at 560 W. Grand Ave. The project has slipped several times. It was first planned for 2025, then September 2026, and now targets early 2027.
However, construction delays and a mob-tied subcontractor investigation pushed the timeline back further. A temporary casino at the Medinah Temple has run since 2023. Bally’s has said its revenue there has fallen short of expectations. In August 2026, Bally’s paused work on the casino tower during a dispute with the city over video gaming terminals, and the company flagged a Going Concern warning about its cash position. Despite that, a Bally’s executive said the early 2027 opening still stands.
At the topping-out ceremony in May 2026, Kim told the crowd the team was “excited to finish it all up.” Bally’s also won one of three new casino licenses for New York City, with a proposed site in the Bronx. Kim points to the local population, an estimated 16 million people inside a 30-mile drive, as the reason every major operator wanted in. The project will compete with Resorts World New York City and Metropolitan Park, Hard Rock’s casino near Citi Field.
Soo Kim and The Star Entertainment Group
In December 2025, Soo Kim became chairman of The Star Entertainment Group, the embattled Australian casino operator. Bally’s and the Mathieson family together control close to 61% of Star’s shares through a $300 million rescue package.
| Company | Kim’s Role | Market |
| Bally’s Corporation | Executive chairman | United States |
| The Star Entertainment Group | Chairman | Australia |
The Star appointment gives Kim influence over two casino operators worlds apart, extending a familiar pattern: board control first, then operational change.
The Bottom Line
Soo Kim spent almost a decade as a board-level investor before taking on day-to-day leadership at Bally’s Corporation in 2026. His two biggest US projects, the Chicago casino and the Bronx license, are both still under construction or early development.
At the same time, his Star Entertainment Group chairman role puts him at the center of a major overhaul. Watch Chicago’s early 2027 opening and Star’s recovery for signs of where Kim takes both companies next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Soo Kim?
Soo Kim is the executive chairman of Bally’s Corporation. He took on the role in January 2026 after nearly ten years on the board. He is also the founding partner and chief investment officer of Standard General, the firm that is now Bally’s largest shareholder.
What is Standard General’s connection to Bally’s?
Standard General is Kim’s investment firm, and it has backed Bally’s since 2016. In February 2025, it completed a $4.6 billion merger that combined Bally’s with its own casino holdings, making Standard General the company’s largest shareholder.
When does Bally’s Chicago casino open?
Bally’s Chicago now targets early 2027, a date the company reaffirmed in August 2026 despite a construction pause and a Going Concern warning about its finances. A temporary casino has operated at the Medinah Temple since 2023.
What is Soo Kim’s role at The Star Entertainment Group?
Kim became chairman of The Star Entertainment Group in December 2025. Bally’s and the Mathieson family together hold close to 61% of the company’s shares.
Did Soo Kim study business or finance in college?
Kim earned a bachelor’s degree from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Then his investing career began, with an analyst role at Bankers Trust Company.