I see where a lot of this discussion started. Casino in the 78? Stadium issues.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg...ese-two-fronts
May 06, 2021 06:47 PM |
Let's think big, Chicago—at least on these two fronts
Some stars may be aligning in promising ways for the mayor's casino dream, the Bears' stadium ambitions and two development firms with a lot on the line.
Greg Hinz
…. I’m thinking of two things in particular that may have more synergy than you might expect: hopes for a Chicago casino and a spate of renewed talk that the Chicago Bears have had it at Soldier Field, at least the Soldier Field we know.
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Let me begin with casinos.
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Anyhow, despite denials across the board, some insiders believe Rush Street is the favorite for two reasons. One, Bluhm’s daughter, Leslie Bluhm, went to law school with Lightfoot, and the family raised more than $200,000 for her mayoral campaign. After all, this is Chicago.
Two, Rush Street has hooked up in its bid with Related Midwest, developer of the 78 property on vacant land just southwest of the Loop.
Related surely could use a big project for its very promising but somewhat stalled project, which arrived at just the wrong time: mid-pandemic. It’s located in the right spot, too, with plenty of space near downtown hotels and good highway access
. However, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be better with a nice entertainment district right next to the casino in the form of a domed NFL football stadium with which it could share parking expenses and perhaps other overhead. I have no reason to believe Related is so pondering, but that doesn’t mean Team Lightfoot couldn’t. Name it Pritzker Stadium, too, to ensure wider buy-in.
Another two-birds-with-one-stone possibility is at Soldier Field itself, located just across the tracks to the east of developer Bob Dunn’s proposed One Central complex.
As in the case of Related, there is no sign Dunn is interested in building a dome. But what about doming (and somewhat) expanding Soldier Field, adding a retractable roof? That was considered in the 1980s, when the Bears agreed to their current Soldier Field lease, and rejected because of cost considerations. But construction techniques have changed a lot since then.
Ponder this: Dunn made his name in the development business by becoming involved in constructing or rebuilding football stadiums, including MetLife Stadium across the river from Manhattan, Lambeau Field in Green Bay and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. His proposed One Central complex of huge parking lots and hundreds of thousands of square feet of restaurant and retail space likely could squeeze in some Bears fans a few times a year. Further ponder this: A mayor who’s in at least some re-election trouble—and a Bears fan herself—likely could find a way to get some political credit if she built both a casino and a real home for the Bears, one that could host a Super Bowl or a Final Four tournament.
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