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Bally’s was granted approval on Monday by a special Chicago casino committee to build its new casino in River West. The committee overwhelmingly supported the company’s plans with a 27-3 vote.
The committee’s decision sets the stage for a full vote by the Chicago City Council on Wednesday. If the council grants its ultimate approval, it would represent a major milestone for the Chicago casino project.
Committee approves Bally’s casino
Earlier this month, Mayor Lori Lightfoot had already selected Bally’s as the winning bidder for the casino project.
However, Lightfoot’s approval was not the final step in the process. The city of Chicago still needed to approve the casino plans.
Lightfoot hoped for a City Council vote to take place by Wednesday, and it seems her wish will be granted.
The special committee’s original plan was to vote on May 20, but they decided to postpone the vote in order to allow for more time for preparation.
The group decided to delay the announcement of its recommendation on approving the Bally’s casino plans until Monday. In other words, the Chicago City Council will vote on May 25.
Bally’s Chicago casino in River West is steadily approaching its grand opening as progress continues to be made.
Bally’s is building a temporary casino to house gamblers until the completion of the final $1.7 billion casino in 2026. The temporary structure is expected to open next year.
Lightfoot and her team are eager to speed up the entire process in order to quickly establish the temporary casino and prevent an increase in property taxes in the city.
The city has now given its support to the plans, allowing for a quick process to be possible. However, there are still local hurdles that may cause delays in the schedule.
Opposition in Chicago
At the start of this process, the approval of the casino committee was uncertain.
Bally’s casino plans in the city have been heavily criticized.
Local officials are mostly worried about the connection between Bally’s and a financial firm that played a major role in helping the company win the casino bid.
Residents in the vicinity of River West have demonstrated a notable level of opposition.
Ald. Brendan Riley noted that as many as 85% of downtown Chicago residents could be against the casino’s proposed location, potentially complicating the project’s progress moving forward.
Despite the challenges, Bally’s is tackling the situation step by step. Achieving approval from the City Council for the casino’s plans on Wednesday would be a major milestone for the project.
