Bally’s, Hard Rock and Rush Street to compete for Chicago casino license

The Windy City is set to have just one casino.

The three candidates for Chicago’s sole casino have been announced, with Bally’s Corporation, Rush Street Interactive and Hard Rock International all set to compete for the license. 

Chicago has been without a casino for over 30 years; this current project is expected to bring in approximately $400m a year in revenue and create a plethora of construction and permanent jobs. 

“We have spent countless hours analyzing each proposal for Chicago’s casino license and have determined Bally’s Tribune, Hard Rock Chicago, and Rivers 78 best fit the core goals we want to achieve for the City’s first integrated casino-resort,” commented Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot.

“Each proposal offers economic, employment, and equity-focused opportunities for Chicago, while simultaneously enhancing the City’s cultural, entertainment and architectural scenes with world-class amenities and design. Our teams look forward to heading into discussions with the finalists and getting one step closer to bringing this decades-long project to fruition.”

As highlighted by the city’s mayor, each proposal has benefits that allow it to stand out from its competition. Notably, Hard Rock would bring tribal gaming to the city while Bally’s would offer recent experience in casino development. 

Bally’s offering, a $1.74bn casino and hotel located at the Tribune Publishing Plant, includes 3,400 slot machines and 173 table games. Away from gaming, this property will feature a 3,000-seat theater, a sports museum, 500-room hotel, a music venue, six restaurants and a food hall. Bally’s claims that this project, which would open in 2026, would create 12,000 jobs in total.

Hard Rock’s proposal, which would see a tribal gaming giant enter the Windy City, would be built North of the MPEA convention center on a piece of land named ONE Central. The tribal operator claims that this venue would feature 3,000 slots and 166 table games as well as a 500-room hotel, a live music venue, a spa and several restaurants and lounges. 

If selected, this offering would open in Q4 of 2025 and create approximately 19,000 jobs, 3,140 of which would be permanent. 

Lastly, Rush Street Interactive have proposed The 78, a $1.62bn casino project on the south side of Chicago. This casino would include 2,600 slots and 190 table games while producing approximately 8,000 jobs. Similarly to the previous proposals, this offering would feature a live entertainment venue for arts and culture, a hotel and eight restaurants. 

While no decision has been made yet, each proposal brings with them interesting ideas and a number of benefits. The involved parties are set to participate in a series of community engagement meetings from April 5-7.

Henry Moore

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