CHICAGO | City Casino

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

^ BVictor1 posted in the highrise thread that Onni is buying Bally's temporary casino site. Starting to feel like River West is the new Fulton Market

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

[thegoatman]

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

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

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.

Bally’s was finalizing a labor agreement Tuesday, a source told the Sun-Times. Such a deal would put organized labor behind the Bally’s proposal, political support that could be needed to get it through the City Council.
…
Reiter said then that only one of the three casino applicants had expressed interest in a labor agreement. He did not identify the company, but sources said later it was Bally’s.

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.

[thegoatman]

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

[CrazyCres]

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

[twister244]

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).

[Klippenstein]

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.

Video Link

[Randomguy34]

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

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by twister244

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).

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.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

My least favorite part of this proposal are the parking garage 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.

Video Link

I think it’s mostly about the railroad ROW.

[marothisu]

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.

[gandalf612]

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.

[thegoatman]

Originally Posted by galleyfox

I think it’s mostly about the railroad ROW.

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

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

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

[west-town-brad]

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.

[Chisouthside]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

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!

[left of center]

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.

[Busy Bee]

Video Link

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Ricochet48

I live in River North and am part of the target demographic and still do not want it there. The 78 or McCormick make way more sense logistically. I would go to those on occasion with friends (and the city generally needs the tax $).

It will be secure inside, for sure, but degenerate gamblers & thugs will stumble across the new bridge to Ward Park, yikes. If you want a quick foreshadowing, just walk down state between the two 7-11's, Snickers, and Rossi's...

Oh an property values will definitely drop too. The construction will take a while, but will likely accelerate my move to a townhouse in Bucktown, Wicker, or LP, etc.

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 urban politician]

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