CHICAGO | City Casino - Page 89

Klippenstein · #**1761** Posted **Aug 29, 2024, 10:03 PM**

Any idea if the layout of the building changed with the new design? With all the windows on the casino building next to the hotel portion makes me think that they moved the theater to the NW corner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/07/1...sino-financing-unveils-new-hotel-design/

https://casinos.ballys.com/chicago/renderings.htm

SolarWind · #**1762** Posted **Sep 1, 2024, 5:23 AM**

August 6, 2024

August 27, 2024

ardecila · #**1763** Posted **Sep 2, 2024, 11:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

Any idea if the layout of the building changed with the new design? With all the windows on the casino building next to the hotel portion makes me think that they moved the theater to the NW corner.

It's unclear. The most recent version of the PD was by Gensler, dated 1/17/24. That's the one with the weird 2-story motel on top of the casino.

But according to Lee Bey, when Bally's landed their big $940M investment a few months ago, their new partner demanded they switch architects. So Bally's ditched Gensler and hired HKS. The renderings you see are very new, and even the planners at DPD have not received a new package of drawings for approval yet.

One thing Bey mentions is that the blank crown at the top of the casino is actually a rooftop parking garage. That would be very unusual for this type of building, but if it's true, then they may indeed have swapped the hotel tower and the theater. Potentially they have also moved the porte-cochere and dropoff area to an upper floor of the building, with an internal speed ramp from street level. Much better for the streetscape, easier to heat in winter, etc.

The big demolition thing the other week was splashy, but I am very interested to see if they can fast track this thing in order to open in just 24 months, CONSIDERING they don't even have the final planning approvals!

SolarWind · #**1764** Posted **Sep 16, 2024, 1:46 AM**

September 10, 2024

pullmanman · #**1765** Posted **Oct 1, 2024, 9:45 PM**

Demo has reached the main building

BVictor1 · #**1766** Posted **Oct 19, 2024, 1:36 AM**

10.16.24

r18tdi · #**1767** Posted **Oct 25, 2024, 2:52 PM**

Interesting info on the redesign and how it came about:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...icago-casino-hinged-on-landlord-redesign

ardecila · #**1768** Posted **Oct 25, 2024, 3:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Interesting info on the redesign and how it came about:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...icago-casino-hinged-on-landlord-redesign

It's good to see that Carlino is (metaphorically) invested in the quality and success of this casino and not just financially invested. I do think the changes he demanded will lead to a better product for casino goers, and I don't think the urban design and streetscape will suffer for it.

Having a proper hotel on-site from Day 1 is huge, it just opens up a whole different group of customers (bachelor/ette parties, weekend outings, etc) and not just the compulsive gamblers that tend to visit existing Chicagoland casinos for the day. Much more of a Vegas/AC experience. I gather Bally's cut the hotel in the first place out of desperation to get their project moving with limited funds, but with the hotel added back in, I'm a lot more optimistic about the success of this casino overall.

BVictor1 · #**1769** Posted **Nov 15, 2024, 6:39 PM**

11.28.24

pullmanman · #**1770** Posted **Dec 4, 2024, 2:27 AM**

Found a great shot by Building Up Chicago on twitter

twister244 · #**1771** Posted **Dec 4, 2024, 2:31 AM**

Damn - It's almost like if you asked AI: "please generate an image of Chicago demolition".

Great stuff.

KWillChicago · #**1772** Posted **Dec 5, 2024, 2:34 AM**

They are definitely moving along. Can we expect fully cleared and site prep beginning in early January?

Bonsai Tree · #**1773** Posted **Dec 14, 2024, 11:11 PM**

Part of the freedom center collapsed into the river this morning during demolition. I assume this is going to slow down progress, probably will be a review of demolition activity now

czarizard · #**1774** Posted **Dec 16, 2024, 1:52 AM**

Video of the debris falling into the river: https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/1hec5jo/bit_of_an_oopsie_this_afternoon_as_demo_crews/

sentinel · #**1775** Posted **Dec 16, 2024, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by czarizard

Video of the debris falling into the river: https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/1hec5jo/bit_of_an_oopsie_this_afternoon_as_demo_crews/

Lawsuit!! That’s nuts, they GC should have known better than to allow this to happen. They will absolutely be forced to clean this from the river.

BVictor1 · #**1776** Posted **Jan 3, 2025, 7:50 AM**

12.27.24

BVictor1 · #**1777** Posted **Jan 5, 2025, 12:38 AM**

01.04.25

r18tdi · #**1778** Posted **Jan 6, 2025, 3:55 PM**

Thought this was interesting. Bally’s in its pitch to investors thought it was necessary to call out Chicago's crime, civil unrest and "perception of danger" as material risk to the project and its future profitability:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/ballys-lists-chicago-crime-among-casino-risks

Via Chicago · #**1779** Posted **Jan 7, 2025, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Thought this was interesting. Bally’s in its pitch to investors thought it was necessary to call out Chicago's crime, civil unrest and "perception of danger" as material risk to the project and its future profitability:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/ballys-lists-chicago-crime-among-casino-risks

this is pretty pathetic and clearly an attempt to make pre-emptive excuses for why their own projections were whack out of the gates

ardecila · #**1780** Posted **Jan 8, 2025, 7:59 PM**

deleted