Site Renderings and Development Team Released
PROVIDENCE, R.I., May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY) today announced that the proposed site plan for Bally’s Chicago Casino was approved by the Chicago Department of Planning and Urban Development on Wednesday, solidifying plans to begin construction on the mixed-use entertainment space in late 2024. The $1.7 billion development is projected to bring over 3,000 permanent jobs to the City.
In addition, Bally’s Chicago released renderings for its much-anticipated permanent casino resort development. The riverfront location is being hailed as a springboard for the next generation of entertainment, as the first ground-up mixed-use gaming complex and resort located in the center of a major metropolitan city. The new casino resort development harnesses the urban riverfront site to create inclusive, dynamic spaces, including a casino, food hall and restaurants, a theater and event space, a museum and exhibition area, and VIP areas, as well as a 500-key hotel. The more than 10 acres of outdoor space includes a park for the community, which will allow for various programming such as art fairs and farmers markets.
“Inspired by the city’s interplay—grit and grandeur, structure and the organic, historically-charged and cutting-edge—the design of Bally’s Chicago creates a sense of wonder and adventure accessible to everyone,” said Bally’s Senior Vice President of Design and Development Joyen Vakil. “The plan is uniquely focused on bringing in nature and wellness through the addition of numerous public plazas and parks.”
The spirit of this urban venue is outward-facing, and the first-of-its-kind design allows the energy and vibrancy to flow across the development. This reinvention of the previously industrial Tribune site connects the lower riverbank to multiple levels of engagement with areas for outdoor dining, community gatherings, and opportunities for public art, as well as maintaining an integration into the larger city.
The development team includes a collection of Chicago-based and minority-owned businesses:
- Ownership: Bally’s Corporation, in conjunction with minority-ownership Community Investment Programs (CIP)
- Masterplan: SCB (Hotel, Rooftop Restaurant, Spa and F&B Venues) in collaboration with V3 Companies, Gensler, and Site Design Group
- Design Architect and Architect of Record: Gensler (Casino, Museum/Exhibition Space, Theater/Event Center, F&B Venues, River Walk, South Park, and the public realm) and SCB (Hotel)
- Landscape Architect: Site Design Group
- Casino Interior Design: SOSH Architects
- Theater Interior Design: STL Architects
- Associated Architects: Urbanworks, NIA Architects
- Civil Engineering and Site Infrastructure: V3 Companies
- Structural Engineering: Magnusson Klemencic Associates / Milhouse Engineering
- MEP Engineering: Environmental Systems Design / Milhouse Engineering
- Owner’s Project Development Advisors: DMA, Rider Levett Bucknall, BRG Consulting Ltd
- General Contractor: Chicago Community Builders Collective
The development is a fusion of green space, arts and entertainment spaces, and exclusive hospitality areas. The iconic form of the hotel tower, which includes a spa and food and beverage venues, anchors the master plan at the north end of the site and features a shimmering facade that reflects and responds to the movement of the nearby Chicago River.
“We are confident that this team will bring to life this one-of-a-kind urban space,” said Vakil. “The unique and exciting design celebrates Chicago’s motto, urbs in horto – city in a garden – and creates a dynamic public realm on site.”
Renderings will be available on the Bally’s Chicago website. Bally’s Chicago must meet IGB regulatory and statutory requirements prior to beginning gaming operations.
About Bally’s Chicago
Bally’s Chicago is a $1.7 billion destination casino, entertainment and hotel offering that will showcase “The Best of Chicago” arts and culture, food and sports, and curated dining and entertainment experiences. Located on the 30-acre Chicago Tribune Publishing Center at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, Bally’s Chicago will transform this currently underutilized site into a major economic driver for the city.
The project provides Bally’s with the exclusive right to operate a temporary casino for up to three years while the permanent casino resort is constructed. Bally’s Chicago will be the first fully integrated casino resort in the center of a major city within the United States.
For more information on Bally’s Chicago, visit www.ballyschicago.com.
About Bally’s Corporation
Bally’s Corporation is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence of Online Sports Betting and iGaming offerings. It currently owns and manages 15 casinos across 10 states, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and has access to OSB licenses in 18 states. It also owns Bally’s Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, online gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform.
With 10,500 employees, Bally’s casino operations include approximately 15,000 slot machines, 600 table games, and 5,300 hotel rooms. Upon completing the construction of a temporary casino facility in Chicago, IL, and a land-based casino near the Nittany Mall in State College, PA, Bally’s will own and/or manage 17 casinos across 11 states. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BALY”.
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