CHICAGO | City Casino

[ardecila]

I disagree. Putting the casino in South Loop or One Central doesn't do anything for the parts of the South Side that are actually struggling. A casino can open up hiring to people from all parts of the city, no matter what side of Madison it sits on. What South Loop needs is more good urbanism and infill. A suburban-format casino will only hurt the area (the city has laid out ambitious design goals but I'm skeptical these will actually have an impact - get ready for a turd like this).

I still think the Tribune site is best, because it has solid urban neighborhoods on both sides and car access can be handled without turning the area into Schaumburg lite. If they have to drop a suburban casino there it will have the least collateral damage and will essentially be no different than the shuttered printing press that's there now.

Of course, this is all conjectural. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by the design of the casino at The 78.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I disagree. Putting the casino in South Loop or One Central doesn't do anything for the parts of the South Side that are actually struggling. A casino can open up hiring to people from all parts of the city, no matter what side of Madison it sits on. What South Loop needs is more good urbanism and infill. A suburban-format casino will only hurt the area (the city has laid out ambitious design goals but I'm skeptical these will actually have an impact - get ready for a turd like this).

I still think the Tribune site is best, because it has solid urban neighborhoods on both sides and car access can be handled without turning the area into Schaumburg lite. If they have to drop a suburban casino there it will have the least collateral damage and will essentially be no different than the shuttered printing press that's there now.

Of course, this is all conjectural. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by the design of the casino at The 78.

I am somewhat hopeful that Related would not want to be associated with anything quite so hideous as what's usually done for casino design in much of the country.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I disagree. Putting the casino in South Loop or One Central doesn't do anything for the parts of the South Side that are actually struggling.

Of course. Although one could argue that it gives people from the south side employed there easier access to get to a job via public transit than putting it at the Chicago Ave site.

For personal reasons, I'd love to put something urban at the Chicago Ave site but The 78 might not be a bad choice actually. It would just have to be a more urban design hopefully.

There is actually a potentially good site for sale not far from this and near Motor Row. Again not sure if it would work but..
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/2240...-Ave/17271842/

It's nearly 2 acres, which they'd say is too small but honestly if they could build towers like you see in some Asian cities like Macau then they could make it work for sure. Regardless, something tells me the people right around there would not be happy. And I think that's ultimately part of the issue. You need to put it in an area without much resident pushback. The easiest way to do that is to put it in an area without many residents right there to begin with.

[SIGSEGV]

Has this spot ever been considered:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8423.../data=!3m1!1e3

Pros:
No next door residents to complain
Short walk to Orange Line Station (that can be spruced up), and on a busy bus line (Ashland)
In summer, water taxi can come here
Excellent access to Stevenson via Damen + 29th.
Easy to run a shuttle to McCormick (via Stevenson, or Cermak + Archer, or Cermak + Ashland)

Cons:
kind of an industrial wasteland... but it worked for Boston?

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Has this spot ever been considered:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8423.../data=!3m1!1e3

Pros:
No next door residents to complain
Short walk to Orange Line Station (that can be spruced up), and on a busy bus line (Ashland)
In summer, water taxi can come here
Excellent access to Stevenson via Damen + 29th.
Easy to run a shuttle to McCormick (via Stevenson, or Cermak + Archer, or Cermak + Ashland)

Cons:
kind of an industrial wasteland... but it worked for Boston?

That site has been my choice for a Bears stadium

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Rizzo

That site has been my choice for a Bears stadium

¿porque no los dos?

[twister244]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Of course. Although one could argue that it gives people from the south side employed there easier access to get to a job via public transit than putting it at the Chicago Ave site.

I guess that was kinda my rationale for supporting a site south of downtown...

In no way would I expect a casino to solve any southside issues, but every bit does help in pushing that envelope a bit further south that can spill over into other neighborhoods. That's why I don't support a site in say.... River North.

Also, are we assuming that if it's a location somewhere other than south of downtown with space it won't be an ugly turd? If it's going to be a turd, it's going to be an ugly turn no matter where it's located, so why not put it closer to people that can benefit from it on an economic level (not the gamblers, but the employers and adjacent businesses that will rise around it).

Again, not saying it will solve any problems, but it can help with momentum.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Has this spot ever been considered:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8423.../data=!3m1!1e3

Pros:
No next door residents to complain
Short walk to Orange Line Station (that can be spruced up), and on a busy bus line (Ashland)
In summer, water taxi can come here
Excellent access to Stevenson via Damen + 29th.
Easy to run a shuttle to McCormick (via Stevenson, or Cermak + Archer, or Cermak + Ashland)

Cons:
kind of an industrial wasteland... but it worked for Boston?

Northing in that satellite view is available as a possible location. The dirt patch is now Cougle Foods who cashed out of Fulton Market and just relocated (and those residents across Bubbly Creek did very loudly complain about it being an industrial use). The old Sun-Times printing plant is now a huge data center with major infrastructure put in to serve it and south of there is the very active South Water Market, relocated in the early 2000's.

Personally, I want a downtown periphery site to maximize revenue, force a more urban form and make it as accessible as possible to the entire city's workforce. Casino design can be done quite well, for example take a look at Morpheus in Macau's City of Dreams complex
https://www.uniqhotels.com/morpheus-hotel

https://youtu.be/Gpvru2PblNg

[ardecila]

Not true - the Damen silos site is very much a candidate for redevelopment. It might be tight for an NFL stadium unless they can fill in some of the river turning basin though. Plenty of room for parking garages around there too especially if they can partner with Fedex.

[Randomguy34]

Hard Rock's CEO says they'll soon submit their bid for Chicago (and NYC): https://www.playillinois.com/chicago...dder-deadline/

[galleyfox]

Chicago gets 5 bids for long-sought casino
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg...osals-received

But it’s believed, based on conversations with industry insiders, that they’re bidding on a wide range of sites, including the obsolete lakeshore building at the east end of the McCormick Place complex; the Tribune printing plant land at Halsted and Chicago; the 78 property at Clark and Roosevelt in the South Loop; and truck assembly yards just to the west of McCormick Place.

Bally’s submitted two bids: The Tribune Site and the McCormick Truck Yards



Neil Bluhm also submitted two bids: The 78 and McCormick Place East

Hardrock submitted one bid: Possibly near McCormick

Bidders Submit Five Proposals For Chicago's First Casino
https://www.google.com/amp/s/chicago...-gaming/%3famp

Bally’s Corporation submitted two proposals for two different sites; its casino operations would be self-managed
HR Chicago, LLC submitted a proposal for a single site; its casino operations would be managed by an affiliate, Hard Rock International
Rivers Chicago at McCormick, LLC submitted a proposal for a single site; its casino operations would be managed by Rush Street Gaming, LLC
Rivers 78 Gaming, LLC submitted a proposal for a single site; its casino operations would be managed by Rush Street Gaming, LLC

[Randomguy34]

Rendering from the Crain's article of Bally's plan for Marshalling Yards. Both of Bally's renderings are painful to look at

[Busy Bee]

Required Biff's Pleasure Palace slam...


_

[psxvz]

Feels like the 78 would get the most community pushback. As I mentioned earlier there are four grammar schools within two blocks of the site.

[ardecila]

The Bally's proposals are actually better than I thought, at least by the very low bar of US casinos. The aesthetics could use some work but the site plans seem solid.

The Tribune site seems to have an activated riverfront and a pedestrian bridge to Erie, so there is a fully urban "front door" to the casino with no car infrastructure in sight. I could see a lot of synergies with River North restaurants and bars across the river, the casino could stimulate more options in that area. That's revolutionary compared with the isolated fortress-like design of most US casinos (apart from Vegas). The necessary parking garage is on the west side and appears to be pretty tall with a compact footprint and semi-decent facade screening, and there appears to be an access road to the south - maybe with ramps to the Ohio Feeder.

The lakefront site is more difficult - having good architecture just matters more on the lakefront, and this design utterly fails. But I still think the site plan is strong - they are adding a pedestrian bridge over LSD that will fill a major gap in lakefront access, and picking up the tab for decking over the marshaling yard. It's unlikely that any other developer would pick up this cost for free (maybe even Bally's will want a subsidy, but I'm being optimistic here). The casino itself is pretty low-slung, so apart from the hotel tower the skyline view would feature Prairie Shores and the future Michael Reese buildings prominently. Eventually the awful Bally's tower would just blend in.

It kind of reminds me of the evolution of Trump Tower - Trump wanted something flashy and gaudy originally but the civic aspects of Adrian Smith's design were strong. Once Daley stepped in and had a sit-down with Trump, the result was actually a really good addition to the cityscape. (Maybe the only good thing Trump's ever done in his life...)

[skysoar]

Did not expect five bids. The other thing that is interesting is the McCormick Place area is mentioned prominently in two or possibly three of the proposals.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by skysoar

Did not expect five bids. The other thing that is interesting is the McCormick Place area is mentioned prominently in two or possibly three of the proposals.

They must be hedging.

Bally’s and Bluhm most likely have the Tribune Site and the 78 as their first choice locations, but they need a backup in case neighborhood politics go awry. Hard Rock seemed wishy-washy about submitting a bid before, so we’ll have to see what they have in mind.

Bally’s is a newer company (though the brand name originally belonged to a Chicago pinball manufacturer). This would be Bally’s very first original construction, and thus the flagship, as almost all of their other casinos are acquisitions or expansions. So it’s a serious investment.

I agree that the site plan looks promising. I’d be satisfied with the casino floor more or less as is.

The hotel architecture might need a few rounds of negotiation to settle on a better design. I’m not expecting anything elaborate, but there should be more interesting options for a similar price.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/finance...215700397.html

To be built in two phases, the $1.0 billion first phase will feature 2,700 slot machines and 95 table games, with ample room for significant expansion of gaming space and / or other amenities; a 100-all suite luxury hotel; an outdoor music venue for performances seating 500 to 1,000, as well as green space for relaxation and recreation; dining options curated by James Beard award-winning chef Paul Kahan's One Off Hospitality; and pop-up entertainment by local artists.

Upon achieving our expected investment return threshold on Phase 1, Bally's Chicago will expand its footprint with an additional $600 million investment to add up to 4,000 total gaming positions; a fully-built 400-room hotel tower with a rooftop pool and bar; an amenity terrace featuring a larger pool, spa, fitness center, and sun deck; a 3,000-seat flexible indoor entertainment venue that can accommodate large performances, smaller meetings, and private events; a 20,000-square foot exhibition space with both a Chicago sports museum and rotating immersion exhibits curated by Immerse Agency; and an expanded food and beverage program with additional large-format restaurants, including an Erick Williams' led fine-dining steakhouse.

[Mister Uptempo]

From Bally's Chicago website, here are some more renderings.

First, for the temporary facility at the Tribune site-

Located adjacent to the Chicago Tribune Publishing Center site. By retrofitting an existing building, we will be able to expedite generating tax revenue to the City while the larger destination entertainment resort is being built.

-500 slots
-25 table games
-Food & beverage offerings

For the permanent Tribune proposal-

$1.0 BILLION PERMANENT FACILITY Phase 1

-2,700 slots
-95 table games
-Ample room for significant expansion of gaming space and/or other amenities
-5 food & beverage venues
-100-room all-suite luxury hotel
-Outdoor music venue with seating for up to 1,000 patrons
-Outdoor public green space

$600 million PERMANENT FACILITY Phase 2

Upon achieving our expected investment return threshold on Phase 1, Bally’s is committed to a $600 million Phase 2 expansion.

-Add 700 slots for total of 3,400
-Add 78 table games for total of 173
-400-room hotel tower with rooftop pool and bar
-5 additional food & beverage venues
-20,000 square foot museum / exhibition venue
-3,000 seat entertainment center

For the McCormick Marshalling Yards proposal-

$1.0 BILLION PERMANENT FACILITY Phase 1

-2,700 slots
-95 table games
-Ample room for significant expansion of gaming space and/or other amenities
-5 food & beverage venues
-100-room all-suite luxury hotel
-Outdoor music venue with seating for up to 1,000 patrons
-Outdoor public green space

$600 Million PERMANENT FACILITY Phase 2

Upon achieving our expected investment return threshold on Phase 1, Bally’s is committed to a $600 million Phase 2 expansion.

-Add 700 slots for total of 3,400
-Add 78 table games for total of 173
-400-room hotel tower with rooftop pool and bar
-5 additional food & beverage venues
-20,000 square foot museum / exhibition venue
-3,000 seat entertainment center

If Bally's doesn't win the bid for the downtown casino, perhaps they could pursue the South Suburban racino license as consolation.

Bally's recently acquired Jumer's Casino in Rock Island and have been approved to administer a sportbook in the state, so they've already established themselves with the Illinois Gaming Board. With racino operations in Colorado (Arapahoe Park) and Delaware (Dover Downs), Bally's also has the requisite experience.

[thegoatman]

The second and third options look decent. Definitely not the first, no room for low rises here.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

The second and third options look decent. Definitely not the first, no room for low rises here.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd options??

But there’s only two options.

The other is just a temporary facility during construction.