Bally’s Corp. has received approval from Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development for its casino and resort site plans.
Chicago’s soon-to-be newest casino will take over the location of the old Chicago Tribune printing plant along the Chicago River. Plans indicate a 500-room 34-story hotel, 2,700 slot machines, and more than 95 table games. The hotel tower will be on the southern end of the casino development near Ohio Street along the Chicago River.
The approval followed Bally’s adjustments to the location’s original design due to unexpected underground infrastructure, as stated in the news release, along with a revised hotel design. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania-based Gaming and Leisure Properties, the backer, agreed to fund the entire development in one phase.
Bally’s and Gaming and Leisure Properties agreed to a $940 million construction funding facility for the Chicago project and other financing transactions totaling approximately $2 billion. In May 2023, Bally estimated the total construction costs would be $1.7 billion.
The Chicago Community Builders Collective is undertaking the project, a partnership and joint venture led by minority groups. The joint venture comprises numerous Chicago-based AEC firms, including Brown & Momen, d’Escoto, Milhouse, SQN Associates, Ujamaa Construction, and Riteway-Huggins Construction.
According to the release, additional amenities planned for the location include a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, cafes, a food hall, and a 2-acre public park. Additionally, the property will connect to the lower riverbank with an approximately 2,000-foot-long riverwalk extension.
Urbanize Chicago reported that the demolition of the former Chicago Tribune plant is nearly complete, and the new Bally’s permanent casino aims to open in late 2026.
More Chicago Gambling Options
Bally’s claims to be Chicago’s first full-scale casino; however, there are numerous casinos in and around the Windy City. Other gambling options in Illinois include in-person and online sports betting, state-authorized lottery, video game terminals, and horse race betting.
While the state has yet to authorize online casino and poker gambling, offshore sites can exclusively offer their services to IL players. Since federal and state laws do not address gambling sites located outside the country, IL residents can access and wager on a plethora of online gambling options.
While the state now offers sports betting, many IL residents were first introduced to offshore gambling sites because of their online sports betting options. Today, many players still prefer offshore sports betting and casino services for their bigger rewards and fewer restrictions. Online account holders can also gamble with Bitcoin, take advantage of lucrative reward programs, and access casino games and sports odds 24/7.