Demolition is poised to begin Tuesday for the new Bally's casino and hotel complex at the former Tribune publishing site in the city's River West neighborhood.
An event marking the start of demolition is planned for Tuesday morning, officials said.
In late July, Bally's revealed it entered into a $940 million agreement with Gaming and Leisure Properties to provide funding for the project as it unveiled an "improved site plan."
The project consists of a 34-story, the 500-room hotel tower, 3,000-seat theater and a 2-acre public park. Within the casino itself, will be six restaurants, cafes, a food hall and space for 3,300 slots, 173 table games and VIP gaming areas.
The 30-acre property will feature a hotel tower, including a large pool spa, fitness center and rooftop restaurant, on the southern end of the development closest to Ohio Street.
In mid-June, a spokesperson for Bally’s said plans were still on track despite comments by Mayor Brandon Johnson. In an interview, the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board asked the mayor if he believes the permanent casino will ultimately be built. Johnson was noncommittal, saying that was "still to be determined."
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In Sept. 2023, a temporary casino opened inside the Medinah Temple building in River North. The company said that May marked the most successful month yet for the casino, with the highest revenue ($13.8 million) and admissions (more than 118,000 people) since opening last fall.
The permanent casino is still scheduled to open to the public in September 2026 as planned.
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