That's some well connected Canadians! Uh-I mean good timing.:D

Is there still any chance a different choice could be made?

Oh sure, there’s always a chance until the final vote is cast.

After all, the selection committee hasn’t officially made a recommendation yet, and the Thursday announcement date is debatable.

But two companies not following through on a labor agreement in Chicago while Bally’s was finalizing an agreement today tells everybody where the wind is blowing.

Still hoping the 78 takes it but wont be mad with Bally's

Happy that Ballys was chosen, excited to see this rise in the future

https://www.ballys.com/chicago/files...ediumWidth.jpg

This does make me wonder..... What's the future of OC and the Bears now? Maybe they really go out to Arlington Heights if Hard Rock wasn't chosen as some sort of backroom package deal (thank god).

My least favorite part of this proposal are the parking garages that create a dead zone right in the middle of the new development. You can see them in the fly through video. The corridor along Chicago Ave can be seen at 0:07. If Onni is redeveloping the Northern Tribune parcel eventually it will really help since the street presence of the current building is even worse than the parking garage, but the garage is still ugly. At around 0:11 you can see down what will be the extension of Jefferson between the casino and the parking garages. It reminds me of the streets around McCormick place. Maybe it's not that bad because there's street level retail, but my main complaint is those parking garages. They are putting a crater the middle of the site. And maybe that's the point, to create distance between the casino and the residential. It just seems like it could be improved somehow.

Lol, River West is trying to emulate River North's parking podium with glass instead of beige brick

Remember that the Bears will be eligible to open a sports book in Arlington or Soldier Field.
But Arlington will be all Bears run, not have to deal with Park District, which in so many ways they want to get away from.

I think it’s mostly about the railroad ROW.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FR4GXbmWYAUEwp9.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FR4GXbkX0AMoa6X.jpg

This was actually my favorite proposal until I saw The 78 one, so I wouldn't be upset with this. I do firmly believe that they need to figure out better transit options in this total area. As Chicago has shed some of its industrial past and continues to do so, there's so much opportunity to transform these areas. We recently moved to the north side and have driven thru Elston, Clybourn, etc sometimes. So much opportunity to transform the river areas into extensions basically like what's already downtown. I hope there's midrise and high rise canyon on some of it when we look ahead 10 years from now.

Super happy for the news bridge and more riverwalk. The 78 already had some momentum with the Discovery Institute and who gives a damn about McCormick so good to see what otherwise would've remained a dead industrial zone given a boost.

Wait so multiple buildings are planned for this site? I thought it was just that single one?

multiple buildings were approved long ago but never built

I was just thinking about the liquor license situation at a new casino. it would have to be a 24-hour license to sell which I don't think exists currently in Chicago. This project is going to be a money maker for the city.

its gonna become the post 4am spot!

Ooof, yeah the Chicago Ave corridor looks pretty bleak in that fly through video. I understand that parking needs to go somewhere, but why not have it face the rail ROW immediately to the west of the casino? Assuming that ROW is preserved, and ideally turned into some sort of LRT/BRT transit to/from the Loop.

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7TKQ...ZLTG/giphy.gif

If you think this will ruin your property values, I'd be happy to take that condo off your hands for a discounted price!

For the record, I think this will improve property values and bring new customers to neighborhood businesses like Erie Cafe and Victory Tap. It will fill in the dead zone between River North and River West with a great, walkable neighborhood. I'm not sure what kind of "degenerate gamblers and thugs" you're picturing, but I'm pretty sure this class of people doesn't exist, and if they do, they're still gonna head out to Horseshoe or Grand Victoria.

Take a look at downtown Sydney, which has two large casinos. Both of them anchor large, high-end developments with great architecture and plenty of property value to go around, lol. Downtown Melbourne is the same thing. I have every reason to think Bally's in Chicago will turn out the same way if it is built as shown.

The Bally's proposal at the Tribune site looks fine. The garages suck but they are a necessary evil and at least they are interiorly located