CHICAGO | City Casino - Page 57

Randomguy34 · #**1121** Posted **Apr 9, 2022, 11:32 PM**

Members of The 78 Community Advisory Council held a news conference this week against the plan for a casino, saying it's inconsistent with the original vision of the development.

I don't see a path forward for the Rivers 78 casino. The local alderman is against it, the community council is now against it, many local school teachers and students don't want a casino next door, and even with the observation tower it will have the weakest revenue of the three proposals. If Lightfoot really wants The 78 proposal she can choose them, but she knows that doing so would be a political bombshell. If Bally's or Hard Rock are selected, then only residents in the immediate area will be upset and won't vote for her in next years election. If Rivers 78 is selected, Lightfoot will lose support from much of Pilsen and greater Chinatown/SW Side.

CaptainJilliams · #**1122** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 12:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Members of The 78 Community Advisory Council held a news conference this week against the plan for a casino, saying it's inconsistent with the original vision of the development.

I don't see a path forward for the Rivers 78 casino. The local alderman is against it, the community council is now against it, many local school teachers and students don't want a casino next door, and even with the observation tower it will have the weakest revenue of the three proposals. If Lightfoot really wants The 78 proposal she can choose them, but she knows that doing so would be a political bombshell. If Bally's or Hard Rock are selected, then only residents in the immediate area will be upset and won't vote for her in next years election. If Rivers 78 is selected, Lightfoot will lose support from much of Pilsen and greater Chinatown/SW Side.

Agreed with everything you've said, but Lightfoot already has a tendency of pissing off people from all sides of the political spectrum. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if she picked the least popular option among the community, just because she can.

skysoar · #**1123** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 12:59 AM**

All 3 casino proposals have opposition, and Alderman Burnett is showing trepid support of one of the proposals. From a legacy perspective the 78 is most appealing i believe for Lightfoot. I dont believe her support in Pilsen will be that great anyway with Alderman Lopez running for Mayoral office. Also with her choosing the first Asian-American for Alderperson in the 11th ward, Chinatown is probably 50/50..It is probably co-incidental that Relateds presentation of the 78 casino proposal and Relateds release of the 400 N Lakeshore developments possible groundbreaking in 4th quarter of 2022 were almost revealed simultaneously, but it lets you know Related is serious. Lastly i believe Lightfoot knows that the Mayoral election will be decided on the Northside as the Hispanic and African-American voters cancel one another out. So if her choice is the 78,it is not that risky, but we will know in a few months.

thegoatman · #**1124** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 1:05 AM**

It's honestly just the fact that Chicago could potentially get an observation tower. So not only do we get a potential world class casino, we would also be one of the few American cities with an observation tower. Only ones I can name are Vegas, Dallas, Seattle, and San Antonio. I definitely want the 78 to win but wouldn't be mad if Bally does.

MAC123 · #**1125** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 1:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegoatman

It's honestly just the fact that Chicago could potentially get an observation tower. So not only do we get a potential world class casino, we would also be one of the few American cities with an observation tower. Only ones I can name are Vegas, Dallas, Seattle, and San Antonio. I definitely want the 78 to win but wouldn't be mad if Bally does.

That's just because most major cities don't need an observation tower. You can get the same experience at any observation deck in a NYC skyscraper, at that famous observation building on the mountain in LA, etc. While the skyscrapers still provide their regular benefits.

Don't get me wrong I still really love this proposal and really want it built somewhere. It is easily, and I mean easily, the best looking proposal by far. But in purely objective terms it probably isn't the best. Still want it to be built somewhere, maybe NYC can steal the design for their upcoming casino. But it will probably be built in Manhattan (and most likely Times Square) so it's highly unlikely.

Kngkyle · #**1126** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 2:13 AM**

Rivers 78 is the only proposal that is remotely unique. Hard Rock and Bally's are extremely generic and uninspiring.

If Related Midwest doesn't land this I'm not confident that their 78 project is going to move forward. They struck out with Amazon HQ2. They have seemingly struck out on any other sort of office commitments. DPI seems like a done deal but I could still see Related throwing in the towel. They don't own the land so it's not like they are on the hook for much here and they have lots of other projects in the city. The smaller scale riverfront projects to the north of the 78 are not exactly doing great - one completely stalled, the other progressing but slower (and shittier) than planned.

Mr Downtown · #**1127** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 2:57 AM**

^Oh, for gawd's sake! They failed to sign a million-square-foot anchor in their first 30 months of looking! Why that's Jared Kushner–level incompetent!

General Mediterranean can afford to wait until 2050 for a positive cash flow on The 78. They're in it for the long run, for the next generation of coupon-clippers, and they chose Related. I don't expect them to bail out as soon as they encounter their first headwind.

Kngkyle · #**1128** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 4:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Oh, for gawd's sake! They failed to sign a million-square-foot anchor in their first 30 months of looking! Why that's Jared Kushner–level incompetent!

You can disagree and make your case without being a condescending ass.

gandalf612 · #**1129** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 6:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu

This part really shouldn't be much of a concern. Related was behind Hudson Yards, in which its area did not really draw any tourists before HY was there. There was really not much there. Jacob Javits Center and High Line was there before and drew some tourists but yeah, totally transformed tourism wise now vs. before Hudson Yards. I worked at Manhattan West, which is across the street from Hudson Yards from late 2015 until October 2021 - nearly 6 years. I saw this with my own eyes transform by 2019 (IIRC, or was it 2018?) from a place where nobody would go to literally crawling with tourists and very busy.

If you give tourists a reason to go somewhere, they'll go. Trust me.

If I remember correctly Related actually extended the High Line and the 7th Ave subway, so much like they're extending the Riverwalk and adding a RL stop

marothisu · #**1130** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 12:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gandalf612

If I remember correctly Related actually extended the High Line and the 7th Ave subway, so much like they're extending the Riverwalk and adding a RL stop

I think you meant the 7 train, not 7th Ave. They extended that to make a new stop at HY, which is nice. It's right near Vessel. The High Line to my knowledge though, not sure. At least when I started working right there, it was already in place exactly where it is now. Although the 7 train stop was opened up before really much of anything there was built, so who knows with High Line.

I can remember a time when there were no skyscrapers there and not many tourists. Then Vessel and the mall opened up there and it wad teeming with tourists.

I don't question Related's ability here. This area was almost no man's land for tourists and they got them over there pretty fast. They would come 2 avenues over or be south sometimes a few streets but yeah. Give a reason for tourists to go somewhere, especially if decently convenient and they'll go. The equivalent distance probably doesn't get as many tourists as in nyc but I'm sure they'd make it work.

ardecila · #**1131** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skysoar

I dont believe her support in Pilsen will be that great anyway with Alderman Lopez running for Mayoral office.

I keep telling you it's not the same Lopez...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Oh, for gawd's sake! They failed to sign a million-square-foot anchor in their first 30 months of looking! Why that's Jared Kushner–level incompetent!

General Mediterranean can afford to wait until 2050 for a positive cash flow on The 78. They're in it for the long run, for the next generation of coupon-clippers, and they chose Related. I don't expect them to bail out as soon as they encounter their first headwind.

Wells-Wentworth will open this year, so even if Related doesn't win the casino I don't think the site will sit vacant exactly. Now that it has access and utility hookups I could easily see it being used as a music festival ground, or maybe for temporary attractions in a tent structure. DPI hasn't really been in the news much, but they have the state funding all lined up for construction, just gotta have ol' Rem finish up the drawings.

skysoar · #**1132** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 2:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

I keep telling you it's not the same Lopez...

Wells-Wentworth will open this year, so even if Related doesn't win the casino I don't think the site will sit vacant exactly. Now that it has access and utility hookups I could easily see it being used as a music festival ground, or maybe for temporary attractions in a tent structure. DPI hasn't really been in the news much, but they have the state funding all lined up for construction, just gotta have ol' Rem finish up the drawings.

I am not confusing the Lopez s,i am speaking of Alderman Raymond Lopez influence over the Hispanic voting bloc especially in the Pilsen area. And as you spoke of Lightfoot probably losing votes in that area if she chooses the 78, i just think her chances are very slim anyway in Pilsen, so that need not influence her decision.

ardecila · #**1133** Posted **Apr 10, 2022, 6:09 PM**

Pilsen is a transitioning area and hard to predict the politics, but Ray Lopez is a joke of an alderman who guest-stars on Fox News, so I don't see him doing very well in this neighborhood. There's always been a small section of the Latino community that is conservative, but they are far from the majority. Not to mention that the area keeps gaining young, white, progressive-leaning people who won't vote for Ray Lopez in a million years.

If Lopez and Lightfoot were the only 2 candidates, then voters might need to hold their nose and pick one. But Willie Wilson and Mike Quigley are probably both gonna run, and they are both stronger candidates. (It's weird to call Wilson a strong candidate, but people like free gas.) If Chuy Garcia wasn't in Congress, he could win the mayor's seat in a landslide and pick up all of the Latino wards, but Ray Lopez? LOL.

Also, honestly nobody in Pilsen cares about the casino, it's all the way across the river and railyards and has no effect on this side of Canal St. It might as well be on Mars. Sigcho only opposes the casino because of his Chinese constituents, and because he's a socialist who hates big corporations like Related and Rush Street Gaming.