Where should a Chicago casino go?
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Up next, [Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot] said, will be a study to figure out where the casino should go. “I’m not going to get into speculation about where it should be,” Lightfoot said while talking to reporters after announcing her new picks for the Chicago School Board. “A lot of that is also going to be dictated by what we see in the results of the feasibility study. So we’ll stay tuned on that issue.”
As for the timeline, the mayor didn’t get into specifics, but she rejected a theory that it could be two or three years before Chicago has anything up and running
“No, I don’t think so,” she said. “I think we’re very purposeful and intentional about putting in very tight timelines so that we can get a feasibility study back in a short period of time. And then if we needed to make adjustments in the legislation, then we’ll be primed to do that before, during the veto session this fall.”
* I’m not sure who came up with that theory, but they should read the bill…
In addition, within 10 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the [Gaming] Board, with consent and at the expense of the City of Chicago, shall select and retain the services of a nationally recognized casino gaming feasibility consultant. Within 45 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the consultant shall prepare and deliver to the Board a study concerning the feasibility of, and the ability to finance, a casino in the City of Chicago. The feasibility study shall be delivered to the Mayor of the City of Chicago, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Ninety days after receipt of the feasibility study, the Board shall make a determination, based on the results of the feasibility study, whether to recommend to the General Assembly that the terms of the license under paragraph (1) of this subsection (e-5) should be modified. The Board may begin accepting applications for the owners license under paragraph (1) of this subsection (e-5) upon the determination to issue such an owners license.
In addition, prior to the Board issuing the owners license authorized under paragraph (4) of subsection (e-5), an impact study shall be completed to determine what location in the city will provide the greater impact to the region, including the creation of jobs and the generation of tax revenue.
The licenses authorized under subsection (e-5) of this Section shall be issued within 12 months after the date the license application is submitted. If the Board does not issue the licenses within that time period, then the Board shall give a written explanation to the applicant as to why it has not reached a determination and when it reasonably expects to make a determination. […]
Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law
Those aren’t absolute timelines, but the city could conceivably have something up and running more quickly than 3 years because the law also allows for a temporary location.
* Speaking of locations…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday he would prefer a newly-allowed Chicago casino be located separately from the downtown business district and away from McCormick Place.
While stressing the decision on locating the casino belongs to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City Council, the governor said his preference is for the casino to be put in an area that hasn’t benefited from downtown’s building boom.
Pritzker would not name potential sites, but his comments would appear to help the prospects of the old Michael Reese Hospital property at 31st Street and the lake or the former South Works property at 83rd Street and the lake. Another possibility is the Illinois International Port District land on the Southeast Side.
“I will say that we don’t want to, let’s say, compete with what I think is important about downtown, which is, you know, this is a business town, right? And McCormick Place is a business showplace, and it’s different than other places, right?” Pritzker told the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board.
“You go to Las Vegas for your convention and you know that the people who are coming are not really spending all their time in the show, but love to go because of all the entertainment and everything else. I think in Chicago people come here to do business, and so you want to make sure that they’re separated, let’s say,” he added.
- Steve - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 10:59 am:
Between Chinatown and McCormick Place.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:01 am:
Lawndale.
- illdoc - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:01 am:
Michael Reese area
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:02 am:
Unlike the others that were placed in areas where economic development was a sore need, this one should be in a place where the market suggests it can succeed the most. Do a market study and figure out where that is. Then put it there.
- tgk - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:05 am:
considering how aggressively the nearby casinos target chinatown residents currently, i suspect it will be near there.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:06 am:
The Michael Reese area is a good compromise between being close to the convention area and not an already booming area.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:06 am:
==Chicago casino be located separately from the downtown business district and away from McCormick Place.==
==but his comments would appear to help the prospects of the old Michael Reese Hospital==
Michael Reese is basically McCormick Place.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:07 am:
I think the South Works site is difficult because it’s far from the interstates, unless you build a new exit from the Skyway.
The Port District is interesting but isolated. People would drive in and out, so not much economic activity would be generated nearby.
Michael Reese has both access and proximity to an area that could support some really interesting developments that could potentially complement a mega casino on that sight. It would cement Motor Row, for example, as an entertainment hub. If they did a Rhythm and Blues themed casino, they could tie in a whole lot of development south of 31st too.
- 10th ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:09 am:
it’s NOT coming down here to the 10th or the 7th wards… Pat Dowell and Sophia King will work hard for Reese site
- Powdered Whig - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:09 am:
Why wouldn’t you put it in a centralized location that is likely to attract the most possible patrons? If you get too far away from the central business district, you could potentially lose a large amount of tourists or suburbanites that make a trip downtown for the day.
- Evanston - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:10 am:
Make it a complete entertainment center like the Vegas hotels. Give it a theme like Old Chicago (Formerly of Bolingbrook) or like how Vegas has Venice, Chicago could have Dublin or Budapest or Athens, ect.
If it is a boring Casino, you will not make as much but if you make it a complete entertainment center, It can become a major vacation destination
- dave ristau - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:11 am:
Block 38
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:14 am:
13th ward
- activist - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:15 am:
Thompson center; the casino located in a economic desert won’t create multipliers. With the el serving the loop, workers can take public transport in for work.
- 33rd ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:17 am:
I have the answer for where the Chicago casino should go:
Navy Pier!
Specifically, then end of Navy Pier.
It already has parking
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:18 am:
The City needs money so it should be placed wherever it would generate the most money.
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:22 am:
If I had to do it all over again, I would have become a “nationally recognized casino gaming feasibility consultant”.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:24 am:
–South Works–
Has anyone dared to do a soil sample there? You stick a shovel in the ground and come up with toxins, you’re obligated to clean it up.
There are sites on the South and West sides off the expressways and public transportation that are ripe for redevelopment, could provide badly needed neighborhood jobs and anchor private development.
I see on the twitters that Katrina has “plenty of data” that a casino wouldn’t make it in “impoverished neighborhoods” because tourists wouldn’t go there.
That’s news to the United Center, and the neighborhood that’s grown up around its development.
And I’m pretty sure Northwest Indiana wasn’t mistaken for Monaco when the casinos went in there.
- Biker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:24 am:
Drake Hotel, Chicago
- PJS - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:26 am:
JRTC. Its accessible via transit, there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and theaters that could also benefit. Make it the worlds first Casino that ADDS to the community not subtracts. The food Court and First floor can hold games, the upper levels can have VIP games, meeting rooms and hotel rooms. The state can’t afford to maintain the building but a casino operation could fix it up to its original splendor.
- Obvious choice - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:26 am:
McCormick Place lakeside, since they wanted to takeout the above-ground portion to make a parking lot for the newer version across LSD anyway… That’s the place to put a casino that’s geared to fleecing the out of towners over locals.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:30 am:
Michael Reese site. it’s near McCormick Place. You want something accessible to convention attendees. putting it at the port or the old steel site is redundant to Indiana. need to get convention attendees at the casino.
- Ok - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:30 am:
Such a strange idea that folks like the Governor think casinos are net positive economic development tools for the immediate surroundings over the long term.
They are by definition extractive.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:30 am:
How about just west of the United Center? Excellent highway and transit access and adding a casino/hotel (think Hard Rock) will send the development in that area into overdrive.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:31 am:
–JRTC.–
Dude, it’s a teardown. No one’s going to spend money trying to retrofit that into anything.
Except a waterslide, of course.
- CT Resident - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:31 am:
Unfortunately I see the old Michael Reese site being one of the most likely sites for it. Proximity to the Central Business District (while still in an area one can consider slightly depressed or close enough to it.) Lakefront exposure / access is great for shows and events.
I say unfortunately since this will allow for even easier access to suck more money out of the Chinatown community (seen enough lives ruined by gambling already.)
- James the Intolerant - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:31 am:
For the land mass needed; casino, parking, etc.; Michael Reese would seem like a good fit. And it would get $80M off the city’s debt list.
- Montrose - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:34 am:
There’s a Gold Coast mansion ready to go with just a little plumbing work.
- Tom - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:38 am:
The” the old Michael Reese Hospital property at 31st Street and the lake” is only 1.5 miles from the White Sox stadium. Isn’t that an issue with the possible sports betting that can happen at the stadium?
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:43 am:
Anywhere other than downtown (with the possible exception of McCormick Place) would be lunacy. They’ve tried putting casinos and stadiums in depressed areas to develop the surrounding neighborhood and it hasn’t worked. A tourist is just as likely to hop on a casino shuttlebus to Horseshoe or take a trip to Rivers if you put it in some remote part of the city. Suburbanites are already downtown or know how to get there. I also agree with the commentators saying it should be part of a hotel complex. State of Illinois Building is a near perfect location.
- NoGifts - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:47 am:
State of Illinois Building. It has an exciting noise profile inside AND already has a food court. Plus it’s historic and makes a bad office building.
- NoGifts - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:47 am:
I forgot to say, it also has a subway station.
- pool boy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:57 am:
Who needs a study? Just use this blog.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:58 am:
I’m not sure if the Illinois Sports Facility Board own the parking lots around Guaranteed Rate, but would love to see some mega development there. Great transit and highway access, and proximity to black, latino and asian centers of the city to ensure jobs/contracts/etc are distributed.
I know Jerry loves his parking lots for his Hinsdale season ticket holders, but the suburban ballpark model is a blight and complete waste of prime real estate.
United Center parking lots would be ideal as well, particularly with the new Green line station opening at Damen.
- Bothanspy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:58 am:
Who gets to build this? Does this go through CMS competitive bid?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:02 pm:
“Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday he would prefer a newly-allowed Chicago casino be located …away from McCormick Place.”
…his comments would appear to help the prospects of the old Michael Reese Hospital property at 31st Street and the lake…”
31st Street is the southern end of the property, the northern end is at 26th Street - a mere 2 blocks south of McCormick Place - hardly “away” from the convention center.
- walker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:07 pm:
33d. Navy Pier seems ready made to draw more tourists and money, without detracting from the loop.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:09 pm:
Whatever happened to that rumor about the casino being included as part of a hotel/casino where the Thompson Center is? Debate about that lovely building has been quiet lately.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:18 pm:
The MRH site seems like destiny. It’s hard to see them wanting to pass up access to the lake, the expressway, and a short walk from McCormick.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:18 pm:
michael reese site hopefully. it should be by mccormick place and the lake but this location keeps gambling far enough away from downtown office buildings and family friendly museums and navy pier. i will be annoyed if this is located anywhere else.
- Obviously nowhere - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
I’m surprised no one mentioned Soldiers Field. The city would be smart to use city or state owned land and charge a crazy lease fee. Both revenue and property taxes.
- Colin Robinson - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:27 pm:
JRTC…. or that block if the buyer tears it down.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:30 pm:
Maybe they can put it in the parking lot where the George Lucas Museum wanted to go
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:32 pm:
Michael Reese seems to check the boxes. Particularly considering the amount of available land. JRTC is too land locked and while it might work well for out of town tourists it would provide much in the way of parking and there are numerous other potential uses for the land. Reese is just close enough to the city that it should encourage additional development.
- Perrid - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:34 pm:
Alderman Sophia King says Michael Reese is a nonstarter, says the “community” has been clear and adamant on that point for “years”. For whatever that’s worth.
- A Jack - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:36 pm:
Somewhere along the Orange line so you get some of the Midway traffic. And the Southwest side probably needs some economic development. Maybe a second choice would be along the Blue line to get some O’Hare traffic.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
=Alderman Sophia King says Michael Reese is a nonstarter, says the “community” has been clear and adamant on that point for “years”. For whatever that’s worth.=
Statements like that are worth a lot of $$$.
- Ok - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
Yea, instead of a thriving residential community on the lakefront, in historic Bronzeville, let’s instead just build a gleaming neon casino surrounded by acres of parking lots.
What is this, St. Louis? Hammond?
- Enviro - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:42 pm:
Anything that has to do with gambling should be far away from Lake Michigan or any Chicago park.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
Smack in the middle of Jackson Park, right next to the Obama Presidential Center. Get a twofer for tourism. /s
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:45 pm:
I still think Aaron Freeman was right when he suggested slots in the giftshops at the the museums. There’s always someone in a group at the Art Institute who really doesn’t want to be there.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:50 pm:
=== Alderman Sophia King says Michael Reese is a nonstarter ===
Haven’t you heard, Aldermanic prerogative is dead.
- Charlie Brown - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
It seems like the Teamster City neighborhood would be ripe for this type of development.
Cheaper real estate, easy interstate access, geographic center of the city.
- southside slim - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
Too bad wordslinger is clueless. There is no contamination problem at USX — unless he knows something the EPA, which tested the site, doesn’t. Such comments just perpetuate another City Hall lie.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:59 pm:
==Anything that has to do with gambling should be far away from Lake Michigan or any Chicago park.==
Why?
- Moody's Blues - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:08 pm:
Fascinating discussion but is it relevant? Consider:
- From the revenue expectation: “One-Time Revenues from bidding of the six new casinos: conservative estimate of $200-$300 million per license, for six licenses.” -
- From the legislation: “An impact study shall be completed to determine what location in the city will provide the greater impact to the region, including the creation of jobs and the generation of tax revenue.” -
So won’t the private investor who’s paying hundreds of millions just for the license — not all the city or state politicians who have lots of opinions — be in a powerful position to say where this casino goes?
If the impact study establishes that the most jobs-friendly, most tax-lucrative location is the third sub-basement of Moody Bible Institute, then won’t the law and the license holder dictate that location to the politicians, rather than the politicians dictating a location to anyone?
- Birds on the bat - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
Put it on the lakeshore, then re-open and expand Meigs.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:20 pm:
–Too bad wordslinger is clueless. There is no contamination problem at USX — unless he knows something the EPA, which tested the site, doesn’t.–
Meh, I’ll muddle through.
I asked a question, which in some cultures implies not knowing the answer. I didn’t assert a fact as to anything.
- benniefly2 - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:27 pm:
If they really want it away from downtown, there is a 30 acre site a block north of the Cicero Green Line Station not really doing anything at the moment. I think Union Pacific now owns the land of the former Brach’s site, but they didn’t spend that much for it. I got to believe it could be had. Austin could use a leg up.
For Chicago revenue purposes, however, I would stick it as close to McCormick and the lake as Zoning will allow.
- I Miss Bentohs - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:35 pm:
Wherever Madigan decides
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:38 pm:
Maybe 3500 West where the old Sears Building was or near Hawthorne?
- The Magnificent Purple Walnut - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:40 pm:
1060 W. Addison Street.
- Chris - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:41 pm:
“Chicago could have Dublin or Budapest or Athens”
Chicago could just do Chicago. This is an actual place, unlike Vegas.
And, if anything Euro-themed, it’d almost have to be Polska, no?
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:43 pm:
Ford City on the southwest side. Its future as a retail mall is dubious, there’s plenty of land, it’s close to Midway and the Orange Line, and God Knows the area could use some revitalization. The area lost so many factory jobs in the last few decades (Nabisco, the Kool Aid plant,, Rheem, American and Continental Can, etc.) that a casino would go a long way toward bringing that area back from the brink. As a former WWII bomber engine plant, the Tucker auto site, etc. there’s some history there. If the (heavily disputed) rumors are correct, there are even tunnels going all the way to Midway.
- Been There - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
Two things to keep in mind. First I don’t think all 4000 of those positions need to go in one location. Gaming board may not allow but it’s possible to split that pool up. Second any casino operator will want the location to have easy in/out parking and close to the expressways. Public transit helps but obviously casinos don’t mind providing their own shuttles. The car access is really important for those off hours for when many people hit the casino on their way to or from work. Especially shift workers.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
Will the new casino have a theater attached to it, to have shows and concerts like Vegas (or Hammond)?
Maybe Kanye West could do a residency
- Roman - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:50 pm:
Wouldn’t be surprised if the feasibility study resulted in a report that says the city’s 1/3 share of profits is an impediment to development. Maybe a bill in veto session to turn it into a joint city-state owned venture?
Moving gaming positions to the airports is a problem, too. FAA rules make it difficult for municipal-owned airports to spend airport generated revenue outside of the airport.
- 44th - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:51 pm:
Pretty good ideas in here. I didn’t think of the loop, but its hardly a boomtown in the loop, central, good transport. so not a bad choice. If you go too far out you will run into Rivers or Horseshoe. How about way North? Uptown. One of those old theater blocks. Maybe west of the United Center and draw the development out west even further. I don’t know, but casino as development seems pretty poor, just bury it near mcormac place and let the conventioneers have at it. thats my final vote.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:59 pm:
==If the (heavily disputed) rumors are correct, there are even tunnels going all the way to Midway.==
Yes there’s a tunnel to Midway to Ford City.
- Granny - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:01 pm:
A river boat casino on the Chicago river would be a great place.
- Truthseeker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:11 pm:
The Indianapolis Sports Authority revels in their good fortune at the intersection of excellent planning and Chicago’s unforced errors.
While they continue to schedule Super Bowls, Final Fours, Big 10 football Championship Games , et. al with their fan friendly, extraordinarily well strategized amenities, Chicago does things like place the United Center At distance from the lake, et. al. A disjointed experience for the visitor, be it sports or trade show types.
Indy eating your lunch should be a wake up call.
- JP Altgeld - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:19 pm:
William E. Dever Water Crib. Excellent vistas, decent transportation access, an area ripe for development.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:25 pm:
===Indy eating your lunch should be a wake up call.===
Oh please. Yes, if I had a time machine, I’d go back to 1991 and build McDome.
But have you been to Indianapolis? They get some nice events from time to time, but the rest of the year it’s a desolate, dreary burg. They aren’t eating our lunch, they’re on the floor looking for crumbs.
Hey, what’s the name of that world-famous museum in Indianapolis? Name an iconic Indy restaurant that has no drive-through. How is their baseball team this year?
Indianapolis. As if.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:27 pm:
What 47th Ward said. Ask the former Indy mayor why he moved to Chicago.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:31 pm:
–At distance from the lake, et. al. A disjointed experience for the visitor, be it sports or trade show types.–
Indy has a nice, compact downtown for some events.
But it’s not in the ballpark for tradeshows. I don’t know where you got that idea, at all.
https://www.tsnn.com/toplists-us?ds_name=&field_datasite_venue_name_value=&field_datasite_venue_city_value=&month=00&page=0
- James - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
=How about just west of the United Center? Excellent highway and transit access and adding a casino/hotel (think Hard Rock) will send the development in that area into overdrive.=
This sounds like a good quick-to-reach location from downtown. Bus route, Eisenhower xpway. Maybe a little further west than “just west” (3200-4000W), so you get fill in development back east to the United Center and additional development even further west.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
How about the former Brach Candy Factory site? It has the Green Line and the Eisenhower. Union Pacific Railroad bought the land a year ago but maybe they want to flip it.
- Truthseeker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:09 pm:
@Wordslinger
You are correct as it relates to trade shows and it should not have been included (the United Center really doesn’t affect that at all as well).
The dynamic of Indy being extraordinarily more accessible, well planned, et. al. is truth. Every time there is a Super Bowl, Final Four, Big 10 event, etc. the patrons, media and all involved fawn over how well laid out and thought out the Indy situation is.
The Soldier Field debacle vs. Lucas Oil Stadium another glaring Chicago blunder.
- ZC - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:10 pm:
Indianapolis has a better kid’s museum than Chicago’s, definitely. I’d say the Indy Children’s Museum has a modest national reputation.
But Chicago’s isn’t bad, it’s just that Indy’s is awesome. Then beyond that, Indy is a fun place to visit. They have a pretty fun downtown eating stretch, very fun and al fresco in the summertime. And no I wouldn’t move there (or schedule a convention there) over Chicago any day.
- Truthseeker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:12 pm:
In short, a city with 1/10th of the population, and in the same geographic area owning high profile events vs. a magnificent city like Chicago is a painful outgrowth of dismal planning.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:18 pm:
=what’s the name of that world-famous museum in Indianapolis?=
I quite enjoyed the Indianapolis Museum of Art when I was there a couple of years ago. I’m thinking about a trip back for the Seasons of Japan. There’s an entire campus, now called Newfields, that includes the IMA, the Lilly House, Miller House and Garden, and several other facilities.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:20 pm:
The Chicago casino is not going to Indianapolis, so let’s get off this topic.
- Colin Robinson - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:22 pm:
Could be somewhere downtown with an underground parking garage. Usually they’re free at casinos. Wonder if people who work downtown would park there and take up all the spaces. May be hard to prevent.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:30 pm:
–In short, a city with 1/10th of the population, and in the same geographic area owning high profile events vs. a magnificent city like Chicago is a painful outgrowth of dismal planning–
So the Indy “plan” was to be 1/10th the size of Chicago? Counter-intuitive growth strategy.
You’re pretty wound up about some sporting events.
It would be nuts to have a Super Bowl at Soldier Field, because Bear Weather, baby. Make sure you wear a cardigan at Lucas Oil dome so you don’t get a sniffles if there’s a draft.
Final Four? Maybe with the circus out of the picture now, it could be shoehorned at the United Center around the NBA and NHL schedules. Maybe.
Unfortunately, Chicago didn’t have the superior planning Indy did in not being burdened with 80 some NHL and NBA games a year. Or 162 MLB home games between the two teams.
Great planning, Indy. You’re a real sports mecca compared to Chicago.
- Flyer - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:36 pm:
Lots of vacant land near 87th and the lake.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:50 pm:
It’s easy to have nice, compact downtown when you only have two Fortune 500 companies.
- An idea - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:01 pm:
Peotone
- Regular democrat - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:13 pm:
The only non downtown area that makes sense is the near west side around United Center. Gov already stating it should not be downtown etc. My bet is on that area.
- Truthseeker - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:39 pm:
Word - if you don’t know what you are talking about . . . .don’t.
Super Bowls are worth $350 million to the local economy plus another $30 million in tax revenue.
Final Four worth $200 million plus. They are not played in United Center sized venues and have not been for years.
Cede the revenue to someone else if you like smart guy, but at least get in the century with your commentary.
Put the Chicago Casino downtown near the lake and maximize the revenue, which is really the point of having one at all.
- Enviro - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 5:01 pm:
Rent space for the Chicago casino in a large building such as the Willis Tower.
It is attractive and convenient for tourists and far enough away from the lake and parks.
- Colin Robinson - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 6:53 pm:
There’s the vacant Sears on Lawrence near Damen.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:19 pm:
–Word - if you don’t know what you are talking about . . . .don’t.–
You mean like this guy?
–@Wordslinger
You are correct as it relates to trade shows and it should not have been included–
As far as GDP goes, the St. Louis Fed puts Chicago Metro at $680B, Indy/Carmel at $144B.
So tell some more stories about the momentous economic impact of the occasional Super Bowl and Final Four, due to such superior planning.
- Evanston - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:57 pm:
- Chris - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:41 pm:
Then it could be my Old Chicago suggestion. Make it a theme park. I respect your opinion but believe a European theme would be really cool
- Evanston - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 8:00 pm:
- Colin Robinson - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 6:53 pm:
Already being rehabbed
If you want it in this neighborhood, how about the Uptown Theatre. It is still vacant and St. Boniface Cemetery is next to it so I am sure that the neighbors won’t mind.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 8:46 pm:
Truth seeker, how many Superbowls does Indy get in a given year? Or ever?
- Been There - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 9:22 pm:
===Name an iconic Indy restaurant that has no drive-through. How is their baseball team this year?====
I agree with 47th, Word and others on this issue. Indy has done a great job adding some vitality to an otherwise previously dreary town. But those Super Bowls and Final Fours only come so often.
But St Elmo’s Steak House is pretty iconic. And the Slippery Noodle has good bands and I believe is the oldest joint in Indiana (maybe just Indy)
- Old Gringo - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 11:28 am:
Tear down old Mc Cormick center building ,all infrastructure is in place rebuild with restaurants,shops,great location with view of lake while gambling,ample parking,less congestion,no displacing of residents . Add a light rail and boat taxi from the loop(how many tourists visit Chicago annually and Conventioneers ??) centrally located for city residents easier to provide security and safety.
Called repurposing a gem location.