CHICAGO | City Casino

[r18tdi]

Ugh. The river pedestrian frontage was the one place I was hoping they wouldn't cheap out.

[mh777]

anyone know the status with this? Did they stop construction on the hotel or not? I swear every time I go by I see work happening on the hotel/tower, and I know for sure I continue to observe the skip on the tower running. Are they only going to finish up the curtain wall and then stop? Or what's the deal?

[BVictor1]

09.01.26


Chicago Avenue east approach.


Chicago Avenue west approach.

[build_tall_chicago]

I swear I saw some movement today at the casino site. Paired with the news that Bally's made the $4M payment to the city, is there confirmation on the work starting again for this?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by build_tall_chicago

I swear I saw some movement today at the casino site. Paired with the news that Bally's made the $4M payment to the city, is there confirmation on the work starting again for this?

It never really stopped. It was never gonna stop completely. Bally's still needs to get the building exterior sealed up before winter, or they can't even open the — areas on time. The threat was to the non-— parts of the complex, including the hotel tower and the dining/entertainment.

At the City Council hearing last week, they revealed that even in the scaled-back plan, they're still planning to finish out several floors of the hotel tower and much of the dining/entertainment. Presumably the upper floors of the hotel tower, the big concert venue etc would be left as a shell for future buildout.

I think this is a mistake. A casino that doesn't have other stuff around it, where you need to drive in and drive out to use it, is basically just Horseshoe Hammond Casino with more traffic congestion. And it will attract the same kind of customers.

[NYguy]

https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2026/09/14/ballys-secures-560m-loan-for-bronx-project/

The Chicago project includes a 2,000-foot Riverwalk extension, a 34-story hotel and convention center, a two-acre park and a smattering of restaurants and other attractions. Kim dismissed claims that construction had stalled in Chicago.

“We’re committed to opening in early 2027,” Chairman Soo Kim said on a conference call Monday. He added that the company expects to meet its $1.34 billion capital commitment and is in dialogue with city officials over the legalization of video gaming terminals and its impact on the Chicago project.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by NYguy

https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2026/09/14/ballys-secures-560m-loan-for-bronx-project/

Hi NYGuy!

Thanks for sharing..... This is starting to make me think Bally's "stalling" was simply a stunt to try to exert pressure on the city to stop video —. Now that the effort seems to have failed - All of the sudden, they are able to find dollars to for the Bronx casino - I read this as work will probably resume on the remaining portions of the project.

Am I misreading this?

[NYguy]

^ It looks like they are talking out of both sides....

https://igamingbusiness.com/casino/property-development/ballys-chicago-new-york/

Kim said the purpose of convening the call was to “reiterate our deep commitment to Bally’s Chicago” and to address “inaccurate reports” from the press saying that construction had stopped or slowed after the update that was released in early August.

“Construction continues every day, and there are approximately 1,000 skilled tradespeople working on the construction of the permanent Bally’s Chicago resort,” Kim said.

The casino remains on track for an early 2027 opening, Kim asserted, but the company changed how it is “sequencing certain elements of the development”. Kim said that Bally’s was actually “over-delivering” on its commitments to the city and reset the construction timeline to better align with its Host Community Agreement. He said the company would soon be arranging tours of the construction site with investors and shareholders.

Kim’s comments Monday were less detailed than others given before the Chicago City Council’s License Committee last week.

At that venue, the company’s President and interim Chief Financial Officer George Papanier told officials that Bally’s will “deliver the event centre, 100 rooms of the hotel and the required food and beverage components” in early 2027, per the Chicago Sun-Times. That said, the company is reevaluating about 12% of the project’s other planned amenities.....

Papanier said the components of Bally’s Chicago that are being “reset and re-contemplated” are “all in conjunction with the proliferation of VGTs”. While the current number of licences is low, he asserted that widespread proliferation could result in a “30 to 50% impact on top-line revenue” for the casino and it would be “irresponsible” to continue construction “until we understand what the landscape looks like”.

[Kngkyle]

I totally get Bally's frustration with the city here, but I'd wager this is a bluff. I'm also not a fan of seeing slot machines in every bar like you do in many places downstate.

[cloudbod]

Some pics from yesterday:

[BVictor1]

09.09.26
Eastern Chicago Ave river approach.

[Chi-Sky21]

Probably wrong place to ask this but what is this bridge supposed to look like when completed?

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

Probably wrong place to ask this but what is this bridge supposed to look like when completed?

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

Does that move?

[Via Chicago]

nope.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by VKChaz

Does that move?

Not in the way you might think, but the bridge is designed to be lifted on (removable) jacks in all 4 corners in the event of an oversize vessel/cargo.

The jacking thing will probably never actually happen, but technically the North Branch is supposed to have unlimited clearance up to the turning basin at North Ave. Right now that is suspended due to the bridge at Division that is out of order, but it hasn't been eliminated.

[BVictor1]

09.21.26

[mh777]

How’s the halsted bridge looking?

[vexxed82]

Looks like work has resumed: