Bally’s Chicago to move its Freedom Center tower

The structure needs to be relocated to avoid damaging water pipes along the river.

Bally’s Chicago is currently searching for a new location for its new hotel tower, according to a local news report in The State.

The company’s previous plan for the tower at the Freedom Center casino site must be changed to avoid interfering with the city’s water pipes located near the Chicago River. Bally’s plans to move the tower to the south end of the complex.

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim told local news, “We need to come up with a different way to build a tower because we can’t now put it on Chicago Avenue.”

Not only will the tower be relocated, but it might be designed to stand as a shorter structure, according to the local report.

Kim went on to add that the company held some discussions with the city, and discovered that building on Chicago Avenue and “driving caissons into the ground might damage municipal water management infrastructure pipes.”

The hotel tower will be relocated in two phases, pending city approval. The first will involve shifting the 100-room structure to the south end of the complex, either next to or on top of the events center, according to Kim. Once phase one is completed, the 400-room tower would be moved either to the south or west side of the casino.

Bally’s Chicago opened its temporary location at Medinah Temple and welcomed its first guests on September 9. Bally’s said Medinah Temple will function as a temporary casino during the next few years until construction on a permanent casino is completed.

Bally’s said it anticipates opening a permanent Chicago casino by 2026. The new venue will be home to 4,000 gaming positions, as well as to an exhibition hall, 500-room hotel, a 3,000-seat theater and 10 restaurants.

Amanda Foster

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