Bally's Mega-Casino on Track for End-of-Year Completion, No Need for Extended License Extension, Officials Say.
Bally's $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West is making rapid progress towards completion, with the company expecting to finish substantial work by the end of this year. In contrast to its proposed one-year extension request pending in Springfield, Bally's executives now express confidence that they won't need all the extra time.
"We're still targeting to try and get to substantial completion by the end of this year," Chris Jewett, Bally's chief development officer said during a City Council committee hearing. "There's always unknowns. There are challenges with permits."
Jewett highlighted the importance of completing the Chicago Avenue bridge project - "absolutely critical" for casino operations - as well as other infrastructure projects including removing and replacing street lights and traffic signals.
The proposed permanent casino has faced criticism from some City Council members who have questioned its long-term viability. Alderman Jeanette Taylor expressed concerns that the casino's location in downtown Chicago isn't well-advertised, making it inaccessible to potential customers. She noted that many seniors in her ward are being taken on buses to other casinos.
However, Bally's President Ameet Patel downplayed these concerns and touted the project as a major development for the community. "There is not a casino here anywhere close to us that will have a 3,000-seat multilevel theater bringing national acts to a riverwalk experience," he said.
Despite some reservations from City Council members, Bally's executives are confident that their permanent casino project will be successful and bring significant revenue for police and fire pension funds. They point to the addition of amenities like a 500-room hotel, multiple restaurants, and entertainment options as key factors in meeting projected revenue goals.
Bally's $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West is making rapid progress towards completion, with the company expecting to finish substantial work by the end of this year. In contrast to its proposed one-year extension request pending in Springfield, Bally's executives now express confidence that they won't need all the extra time.
"We're still targeting to try and get to substantial completion by the end of this year," Chris Jewett, Bally's chief development officer said during a City Council committee hearing. "There's always unknowns. There are challenges with permits."
Jewett highlighted the importance of completing the Chicago Avenue bridge project - "absolutely critical" for casino operations - as well as other infrastructure projects including removing and replacing street lights and traffic signals.
The proposed permanent casino has faced criticism from some City Council members who have questioned its long-term viability. Alderman Jeanette Taylor expressed concerns that the casino's location in downtown Chicago isn't well-advertised, making it inaccessible to potential customers. She noted that many seniors in her ward are being taken on buses to other casinos.
However, Bally's President Ameet Patel downplayed these concerns and touted the project as a major development for the community. "There is not a casino here anywhere close to us that will have a 3,000-seat multilevel theater bringing national acts to a riverwalk experience," he said.
Despite some reservations from City Council members, Bally's executives are confident that their permanent casino project will be successful and bring significant revenue for police and fire pension funds. They point to the addition of amenities like a 500-room hotel, multiple restaurants, and entertainment options as key factors in meeting projected revenue goals.
omg I'm so hyped about this!!! 
I mean Bally's is gonna be such an amazing addition to River West and it's so cool that they're on track to finish by the end of the year! 
They should totes do a sneak peek event when it opens, would love to check it out! 
... I mean, they're saying it's gonna be done by the end of the year, which is pretty cool 
... like a 500-room hotel and restaurants. That sounds pretty nice, but what if it just ends up being another tourist trap? 
I don't know, maybe I'm just being cautious 
.
... like how the casino will help out with police and fire pension funds. That sounds really positive 
.
... but I'll be keeping an eye on things to make sure it all works out as planned 
. And, let's be real, who doesn't want to see national acts live on a riverwalk? 
It's all about giving people options and creating jobs, right? So, yeah, I think it's gonna be a win-win for the community 
its been going on for ages already! and honestly i think its a good thing they're not getting an extension because it would just drag out the whole process... but at the same time, 500-room hotel sounds like so much fun 
my friends are all hyped about it but also kinda skeptical about how well it'll do in downtown chicago
. Anyway, I'm curious to see how they'll get all the permits and stuff done in time 
. And what's up with Alderman Taylor saying the casino's not well-advertised? Doesn't that sound like a pretty basic concern to me 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if it's gonna be a winner or not 
. The whole 3,000-seat theater thing sounds like a big deal though 
my grandma lives in a neighboring ward tho and she's super supportive of the project 
can't wait to go there with my bf for a night out 
And who knows, maybe it'll even become a hotspot for senior citizens like Alderman Taylor said? 
) that Bally's is actually making great progress on their Mega-Casino project. They're totally confident they'll be done by the end of this year, no need to ask for an extension. I've got my eye on those infrastructure projects - that Chicago Avenue bridge has gotta be a major headache to deal with. But hey, if they can get it right, this could be a total game-changer for downtown Chicago. The 500-room hotel and all the restaurants and entertainment options are gonna bring in some serious cash, and who doesn't love a good riverwalk vibe? I'm not saying everything will be rainbows and unicorns, but from what I've seen, Bally's seems to have their ducks in a row... for now 
. Plus, all them amenities? That's just icing on the cake... I'm excited to see how it all comes together 
.
But hey, if it does bring in some revenue for the pension funds, I guess that's a good thing 
.
.
. I mean, if people can't even find it easily, that does kinda suck for them, especially seniors 
. Still, Bally's seems confident that they've got this down, and if anyone knows Chicago, they do 
.
anyway, if it brings in revenue for our boys in blue and fire department, then that's all that matters