Bally’s Eyes Two Locations For Chicago Casino

Christopher Jewett is the director of corporate development for Bally’s. Images provided by Christopher Jewett
Christopher Jewett is the director of corporate development for Bally’s. Images provided by Christopher Jewett


Bally’s Eyes Two Locations For Chicago Casino

By Tia Carol Jones
Bally’s Corporation has two of three proposals for a Chicago casino license. One location is at the McCormick Place Truck Marshalling Yard, in Bronzeville, the other is in River West at the site of the Chicago Tribune printing center.

Bally’s already owns and manages a casino in Illinois in Rock Island, Bally’s Quad Cities. There are 16 properties, as well as iGaming, bingo, sports betting, and free-to-play games. Bally’s views the opportunity to hold the license for a Chicago casino as the chance to plant their flag and build from scratch.

Christopher Jewett, Director of Corporate Development for Bally’s Corporation, said Bally’s is committed to spend a minimum of $1.6 billion to build a resort destination and make it a flagship. Each site is set to have similar amenities. Those amenities include 3,300 to 3,400 slot machines and 175 table games. The hotel will have a first phase of a 100 room all-suite hotels and an add-on of approximately 100 rooms, spa, and meeting space. The hotel 20,000 square foot exhibition hall will be split between a Chicago Sports Museum, and a curated museum.

One unique aspect of the resort casino proposal will be a Food Hall, with two spaces curated by local chefs, which will give them an opportunity to showcase their talents. There also will be a 3,000 to 4,000 seat entertainment venue, a nightclub/lounge, and rooftop space.

With the Tribune site, the proposal includes access to the Riverwalk. With the McCormick site, it includes a bridge for people to walk to Lake Michigan. When Bally’s came in to look at the prospects of coming to Chicago, it casted a wide net.
“To build an operation of this size, you need somewhere upwards of 15 or 20 acres, at a minimum. In Chicago, that’s very hard to find all in one aggregate piece of land, or even parcels that you need to pull together,” Jewett said.

There were around 20 sites Bally’s looked at and narrowed it down to the McCormick site and the Tribune site as the two best. With the Tribune site, Bally’s would control. The McCormick site would be controlled by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.  Bally’s would have to negotiate a long-term agreement. “We believe both sites are extremely viable and there’s a massive economic upside for both,” Jewett said.

In each community, Bally’s went in and listened. It met with local community groups and leaders to understand what it would mean to have the property in their area. It also listened to what Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City wanted, as far as diversity, equity and inclusion, which the company has set as a high priority.  Bally’s has met with the Chicago Urban League, the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council and Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce.

Bally’s hosted two turkey drives, partnered with Black Men United and gave away more than 600 turkeys and household items and personal protective equipment.

“The biggest goal the City has is to provide generational wealth, that is front and center in our bid, in the way we’ve crafted our proposal and the goals we’ve set,” Jewett said.
The Chicago Community Builders Collective is a collective of nine construction firms that are either minority-owned or women-owned. Those firms will operate the venture to build the property. Twenty-five percent of the property will be owned by minorities or women.

There is a plan that a piece of the minority investment group will be crowdfunded. With its loyalty program, Bally’s plan for Chicago is Community Rewards, which will be tied to spending it in the community. For Bally’s it diversifies the offering where people can use their points and it gives businesses an opportunity for exposure.

On Thursday, Dec. 16ht, Bally’s will present its proposal to the public. The event will take place from 1p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Isadore and Sadie Dorin Theater at the UIC, 725 W. Roosevelt Road.

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