Bally’s has gained an unexpected ally in its plans to build a casino in downtown Chicago, according to a report from WBEZ Chicago. River advocates and ecological preservationists have expressed that plans to turn the former Tribune printing plant in River West into a casino “can be a meaningful next step in the ongoing makeover of the city’s riverfront – if done right.”
Bally’s target opening date for the new facility is set for 2026. The new casino will feature 500-room hotel and 3,000-seat theater on 30 acres of land. Estimated costs to date total close to $1.7bn, according to the WBEZ report.
The city of Chicago has given the green light for the casino to operate in the heart of River North, at the landmark Medinah Temple.
“Great public works are multi-generational projects,” said Blair Kamin, Pulitzer Prize-winning former architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune.
He also told WBEZ that the casino is essential for connecting the downtown area.
“It’s taken generations to get where we are today, so the riverfront is like a 50-year, 30-year, 20-year timeline. But the casino is a huge piece and an important one of connecting the downtown.”
Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Maurice Cox agreed with Kamin and added that the addition of the casino can set a tone for the rest of the district’s development.
He commented: “The casino district now creates a destination. So for me, I feel like that’s the next thing: Let’s establish a green agenda and character of the casino district. And that will then inform the way the rest of the river should develop.”
