Demolition begins at Bally’s Chicago casino site – NBC Chicago

US

A giant excavator arm tor into an awning of the old Chicago Tribune Freedom Center printing plant Tuesday morning, as Queen’s “We Will Rock You” blasted from a sound system, kicking off the demolition process that will ultimately lead to a Chicago casino.

The demolition will clear a 30-acre site that will eventually be home to Bally’s Chicago, a casino-entertainment complex complete with a 500-room hotel tower, a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, and a two-acre public park.

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim said he understands that some people had their doubts that the megaproject would ever break ground.

“We said two things,” he said. “Bet on Bally’s and we keep our promises.”

Bally’s said the demolition phase will take five to six months. Choose Chicago’s interim CEO Rich Gamble said the project shows the growth and vibrancy of the city.

“We are always changing and evolving. We always have something new,” he said.

Bally’s has been operating a temporary Casino in the Medinah Temple building for the past few months. Although it has been profitable, the Illinois Gaming Board said it has not been returning the amount of revenue to the city that had been predicted by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration. Bally’s said the temporary casino draws as many as a million visitors a year.

The company is expecting the permanent River North complex to draw between four and six million visitors.

27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett said he is not worried about the potential profitability of the new venture.

“We will make a lot of money here and deal with our pensions and our relationship to our police and our firemen,” he said.

The project is expected to bring 3,000 construction jobs and 3,000 casino jobs when Bally’s Chicago permanent becomes operational in Fall 2026. Larry Huggins of the Chicago Builder’s Community Collective said the Bally’s casino is not only one of the largest  private sector projects that has ever been built in Chicago.

“That is huge, not only for minority contractors, but for general contractors,” Huggins said.

It could also reshape the neighborhood, according to Burnett.

“It is really going to enhance it,” he said, pointing to planned developments across Chicago Avenue and planned connections to the downtown Riverwalk.

It is hoped that the company can break ground on the casino sometime later this year.

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