The Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, has formed a Casino Community Advisory that will act as the channel through which the community will contribute toward the first casino in the city. Lori announced the formation on Thursday, noting that the team consisted of residents, community groups, and various experts.
Various departments, including Transportation, CFO, Planning and Development, and Office of Community Engagement, will also join the Casino Community Advisory. During the Thursday announcement, Mayor Lori said that her administration was continually dedicated to ensuring the community was involved in the whole process.
This opportunity allows residents to share their thoughts and concerns about having a casino in the city. According to Mayor Lori, the Casino Community Advisory will create a visible space for residents to relay their inputs before, during, and after the construction of the Bally’s Casino.
$1.7 Billion Project Coming to Tribune Publishing Center
Following a year-long selection period, Chicago finally chose a casino for the city. Lightfoot announced on May 5, 2022, noting that the new casino will stand at the Tribute Publishing Center. Bally’s Corporation won the sole casino license.
Bally’s fought a fair fight against Hard Rock and Rush Street Gaming to win the casino. Lightfoot noted the process of choosing the new license holder was vigorous. She also noted that the community’s input was highly considered before the city chose Bally’s.
The gambling operator will spend around $1.7 billion to build a world-class gaming destination. After getting the operating license, Soo Kim noted that Chicago was a unique and vibrant city that deserved the best gaming facility. The Bally’s Corporation Board of Directors Chairman also thanked the Mayor for conducting a fair RFP process.
The casino will host over 160 table games and 3,000 slot machines. The project is predicted to give 3000 people jobs during construction and another 3000 permanent casino jobs once the structure is operational.
The city of Chicago largely preferred Bally’s project because the brand had no other casino in Chicagoland. The other two finalists had gambling facilities near Chicago.
Bally’s will launch a temporary casino at the Medinah Temple, awaiting the construction of the permanent facility. According to Brad Cole, the Municipal League Executive Director, the new casino will provide over $200 million to police and fire pension funds. The money will also go to improvement projects in Illinois.
Chicago has been wanting a casino for decades, only making real progress in May 2019. In April 2021, the city opened the media, allowing bidders to submit their proposals. The RFP closed in October with five proposals from five operators. In March this year, the city narrowed the list to three bidders before finally coming up with Bally’s Corporation.
Casino Community Advisory Will Ensure Quality Results
The Casino Community Advisory will look at all issues related to the temporary casino, among other details. It will remain operational until a permanent casino is launched in 2026. Meanwhile, a temporary casino is predicted to open in the second quarter of 2023.
While the advisory team was created to ensure community engagement, accountability, and quality results, Bally’s has no problem involving the community. Soo Kim even noted that his company prioritized listening and responding to resident feedback. Kim said his team looked forward to working with the council and the community.
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