CHICAGO | City Casino

[joemits]

It's actually unbelievable.

[Randomguy34]

Let's not doom just yet. There are two pending permits listed under the address 703 W Chicago Ave

1st:

PARTIAL CAISSONS ONLY BELOW PROPOSED PARKING LEVELS AND PRIVATE ROADWAY FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW TEN (10) STORY EVENTS CENTER, FIVE (5) STORY CASINO WITH ANCILLARY FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENUES, AND A NEW 35-STORY, 500 KEY HOTEL. (CONST TYPE 1A; OCC GROUPS A,B,R,S)

https://webapps1.chicago.gov/buildingpermit/permitappstatus?apkey=3346405

2nd:

DDS 2019 CBC: CAISSONS AND PILES ONLY PERMIT FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A 4 STORY BUILDING INCLUDING CASINO, HOTEL WITH 100 SLEEPING UNITS, AND EVENT CENTER. VERTICAL PENETRATION ONLY. (OCC GROUPS A-1. A-2, B, R-1, S-2; CONST TYPE I-B)

https://webapps1.chicago.gov/buildingpermit/permitappstatus?apkey=3360939

[ardecila]

Those building permits are consistent if Bally's made the decision to scrap the hotel tower after October. 3 months of furious redesign and then submit a new application sometime in the past few weeks.

[Mulan]

https://chicagoyimby.com/2024/01/ballys-revises-plans-for-permanent-casino-without-hotel-tower.html

[mh777]

Originally Posted by Ahoi

https://chicagoyimby.com/2024/01/ballys-revises-plans-for-permanent-casino-without-hotel-tower.html

"Walmart on the River" is a perfect way to put the updated design

[Handro]

Honestly maybe best case scenario. A major VE job like this might be enough to get the riverfront project scrapped. A big gaudy casino run by a two-bit operator like Bally’s ruining what will be prime riverfront property in the coming decades is actually sad to consider, hotel tower or not. Let them put more resources into the Medinah casino (or sell to another casino operator)—a much more tasteful, urban prospective location for a permanent casino and a place that makes more sense for tourists.

[Toasty Joe]

^completely agree. This site could have a nice hotel on it in the coming years with a fantastic pano view of our skyline, but it'll likely need to be taller than Bally's tower given the other proposals and overall momentum in the area.

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by Handro

Honestly maybe best case scenario. A major VE job like this might be enough to get the riverfront project scrapped. A big gaudy casino run by a two-bit operator like Bally’s ruining what will be prime riverfront property in the coming decades is actually sad to consider, hotel tower or not. Let them put more resources into the Medinah casino (or sell to another casino operator)—a much more tasteful, urban prospective location for a permanent casino and a place that makes more sense for tourists.

Not gonna happen. The city wants the bigger casino asap in order to boost tax revenues.

[Randomguy34]

Bally's seeks big change to casino hotel due to 'unforeseen infrastructure issues'

City water pipes below the Chicago Tribune's Freedom Center printing plant are forcing Bally's to find a new location for 400 hotel rooms at the casino and entertainment complex it intends to build on the site, raising questions as to whether the gambling giant will need to clear another public review process and why city officials didn't flag the problem before choosing Bally's to run Chicago's first casino.

Bally's said in a written statement that it has submitted an "alternate plan" to the city to relocate the hotel rooms elsewhere on the site along the North Branch of the Chicago River due to "unforeseen infrastructure issues" with its original, $1.7 billion plan. The 1 million-square-foot project approved by the city's planning department in May called for a 37-story, 500-room hotel to be built along the northern edge of the property at 777 W. Chicago Ave.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commerci...n=20240117&utm_content=article1-readmore

[ardecila]

Lol

[2PRUROCKS!]

How did the city not catch this when reviewing the various proposals? The incompetence with this entire thing is stunning.

[UPChicago]

I’m just surprised how long this issue was kept under wraps

[r18tdi]

Could those red rectangles indicate the position foundations that would support a vertical expansion?

[BrinChi]

Originally Posted by 2PRUROCKS!

How did the city not catch this when reviewing the various proposals? The incompetence with this entire thing is stunning.

You can say that again.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by k1052

I think that would be fine actually.

Agreed. Would be absolutely fine without any new construction casino project.
If this whole thing ends up unraveling, could be a blessing in disguise.

Though it would be hilarious to see them plop a low rent 2 story motel on top of their main building. Could put a big sign up advertising hot tubs, perhaps hourly rate options, HBO, A/C.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The shuttles are free and secure, which is important for people walking in with money and (hoping to) walk out with a lot of money. From the standpoint of the casino operator, the shuttles make perfect sense so long as folks are riding them.

I think Lightfoot messed up by not choosing the other Bally's site, on the marshalling yards. Realistically that site will not be developed for generations, due to the high cost of building a platform and weak-to-mediocre demand for housing in Bronzeville. It would have a perfect nexus with McCormick Place and the growing hotel complex down there. I know the Bronzeville community didn't want it, but River West/River North community didn't want a casino on the Tribune site either. Lightfoot was gonna steamroll a community no matter what site was chosen.

And the Tribune site doesn't *need* a casino to get redeveloped. It's surrounded by hot neighborhoods, extremely close to downtown, etc.

Was there any good analysis of which location would bring in the most revenue?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Could those red rectangles indicate the position foundations that would support a vertical expansion?

No, that looks like mechanical screening for the many RTUs and other mechanical equipment the casino will need. You can see a corner of it in the lower left image.

It's highlighted in red because it is part of the curtainwall bid package - it is likely a metal panel system like the main casino walls.

The rest of the roof is supposed to be a green roof system, as shown in some older renderings.

[Klippenstein]

I've thought about this and if they scrap the parking garage that's supposed to go across from the casino building and replace it with the hotel tower... then I don't think it's that bad of a deal. Though that's probably not how it's going to happen.

[CrazyCres]

Chicago to soon decide on Bally's revised plans for River West casino

The city of Chicago intends to decide this month whether Bally's revised plans for its River West casino and entertainment complex are a go.

Why it matters: The company is changing course after the city determined its original plan for a hotel could damage water lines, sparking some to call for a deeper review and more community input.

Driving the news: Several city departments are reviewing drafts of revised renderings, which would relocate and resize a planned hotel from a 500-room tower to a three-story, 100-room building.

A Departments of Planning and Development (DPD) spokesperson tells Axios that 500 hotel rooms will still be built. The remaining 400 would be located near the casino at a site that's yet to be determined.

https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/02/07/ballys-casino-plans-renderings

Updated Renders: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/sites/chicago-casino/pdfs/240124_Chicago%20Update.pdf

[mh777]

Johnson administration gives green light to revised Bally's site plan

“Today’s approval on relocating the 100-room hotel above the casino adheres to all city requirements, maintains the same floor area ratio we committed to when Chicago selected Bally’s as its partner, and keeps us on track to start construction on time of our world-class entertainment complex in River West this summer,” a Bally’s spokesperson said in a statement.

It wasn’t immediately clear where the additional 400 hotel rooms would be located.