Location Location Location
Chicago is looking for a spot to put its very first casino, and the Tribune is passing this off as a big decision to be made by Lightgroot:
- A Chicago casino gives Mayor Lori Lightfoot her first chance to shepherd a major construction and economic development project from start to finish, but she faces a tough choice: Make a safe bet by putting the gambling venue near the Loop or roll the dice on an area that needs jobs and tourist dollars.
Building a casino, plus related restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues, could awaken a long-dormant site like the 440-acre South Works, U.S. Steel’s former steel plant site on the far south lakefront.
But picking a less centralized area could undercut the very reason Chicago has long sought the go-ahead from state legislators to get into the gambling business: the windfall of tax revenue that could help cure city and state budget troubles.
The decision promises to be a tricky balancing act for Lightfoot, who campaigned on spreading the wealth to downtrodden neighborhoods on the city’s South and West sides.
This isn't a difficult decision at all.
- Put the damn thing where it will generate the most revenue.
That means not on the west side and it rules out huge swaths of the south side. Indiana is too close, has lower taxes on everything and already has casinos. It also has a clientele from Chicago. What this casino has to do is draw in tourists. Maybe somewhere that's already wired up for the electric needed to run hundreds, maybe thousands of slot machines, table games, sport book, and near existing hotel facilities that can host high rollers. And with an attached stadium for music acts that can fill a brand new stadium that is losing money hand-over-fist already.
As much as we hate to say it, that means McCormick Place. Your overhead is low and the potential return huge. Yes, the connected are (once again) going to make out like robber barons. But this thing is going to either be Lightgroot's crowning achievement of her first year in office or an anchor around the rest of her term AND the reason she gets tossed out. She can literally take all the credit or all the blame. Period.
As much as we hate to say it, that means McCormick Place. Your overhead is low and the potential return huge. Yes, the connected are (once again) going to make out like robber barons. But this thing is going to either be Lightgroot's crowning achievement of her first year in office or an anchor around the rest of her term AND the reason she gets tossed out. She can literally take all the credit or all the blame. Period.
Labels: city politics, money questions
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
133 Comments:
It will be a much more exciting visit if the casino is in one of the most dangerous and high-crime areas.
Put it as close to Chinatown as you can.......the buses pull out from there regularly to the casinos in Indiana.
Michael Reese.
City owns the land.
Next question.
Not to mention the Arie Crown Theatre which seats 4,000 people for smaller concerts and entertainment. Plenty of space to dock boats too at 31st St or the south end of Burnham. It really is perfct, so for sure it won't be there.
The old Lakeside Center, the eastern end of McCORMACK Place. Arie Crown Theater, underground parking, The Stevenson and Lake Shore Drive. A no brainer. The place is wired for heavy duty electrical, plenty of bathrooms and an up to date sprinkler system. Meeting rooms and catering facilities. It can open in six months.
It all depends on who you want to go to the casino. People from the burbs? Better be someplace relatively safe. Just want to feed off of poor communities? Put it on the west side. Look at who buys most of those scratchy lottery tickets. Poor folks. Gambling is a tax on stupidity and greed. So put it on the west side.
If I understood correct, slots are going to the airports & state adding a 19 cents additional tax per gallon of gas so you better put it where its close so the gamblers still have money to gamble after buying their state marijuana and the extra taxed gas for their cars to get to the casino. JUST WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE REV-RUNS-THEIR MOUTHS on this BULLSHIT. No marching on the highways or protesting...MUST HAVE GOTTEN PROMISED A FAT CUT OF THE HOG!!! Las Vegas is not the sin city....Shitcago is!!!!!
Don’t screw this up! It’s very simple. Build the casino where it’s easily accessible to people. Build it where the tourists are staying downtown. Build it where people with money are out dining and conducting business. IT HAS TO BE DOWNTOWN to work. No one will travel far to go to a casino. Build it downtown and the hotels restaurants and other attractions will reap the benefits. It will also look great in photographs of the city for advertising.
This is a no brainer. Build it downtown in the business district and it will be completely unique. There’s too many casinos surrounding Chicago so having it downtown will isolate it from the competition. It will generate revenue to everything around it. It will be a revenue bomb if put in the right place.
Oooohh, this is gonna be fun to watch. Just a few days in and she already gets the chance to throw either the 'poverty' narrative that created her or the city revenue that sustains her under the bus.
A former resident once famously said that elections have consequences. Turns out that also applies to the politicians themselves.
Funny how " gambling is bad" , until the State is broke and needs the cash. "Weed is bad", until the State needs the cash.
When are we getting prostituion? or is that still "bad"?
Put the casino on Navy pier if you are after tourist dollars.
The casino will need a "shootin range" for it to be a success in Chicago.
Put that casino on the 440 acres of the old US Steel property!
Forget that McCormick Place/McPier. Start a new area. And as
safety goes; have off duty and retirees work it. Forget those
connected security firms. Hyde Park, South Shore, South Chicago
South Deering, Eastside and Hegewisch need the jobs and income.
Those neighborhoods used to be great places to live and many
coppers lives there and still do. Put a weed shop there too, since
that fat governor legalized it.
I was in a Public Safety Administration masters program back in 2007. Our final project was to perform a safety evaluation of McCormick Place. We were given unrestricted access by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority to do so. The east building was the least utilized of the entire facility and in need of renovation. It was believed to be a prime candidate for a casino should Chicago ever get one. I'm not a betting man, but if I were, my money would be on McCormick Place.
The old Leclaire Courts grounds is also a pretty good location.
Every time you think that casinos can be relied
upon to solve fiscal shortfalls, just remember one
individual: Donald J. Trump.
The economic concept is absurd in the first place.
Disposable income rises and falls with changing
economic conditions. That's how defecits occur
in the first place. To turn to another variable to
solve the first is not sound economic reasoning.
The concept is seriously flawed from the very start.
As the kids say, "good luck with that."
The city of Beverly Hills has banned tobacco sales.
You cannot depend on a vice to remedy poor fiscal
management. While small, the Beverly Hills is a
fine example why the casino solution simply will
not work.
Like the Indians of yore, you will have to keep
your ear on the rails for a small eternity to hear
any rumblings of that casino train pulling into
the station. Hope you don't get frostbite from
the Chicago winters and end up losing the ear.
In this case, if you build it, please don't expect
it to arrive.
Works. That's the key word in this article.
In another rust belt city, a steel mill was demolished
and the South Side Works (mill) became the Waterworks
(mall). Guess what? The mall eventually went bankrupt.
You just replace one dying industry with another. The
powers that be underestimated the economic brute force
of Amazon & Netflix. (Yes, the cinema at the Waterworks
became a source for Friday night fights, gun violence,
and drug dealing)
Look to other cities who have tried their hand at economic
revitalization and chart the wins and losses. Chances are
if it failed elsewhere, it will fail in Chicago. When I think of
gambling, Chicago does not come to mind as a prime location.
Knock down the old McCormack place right on the lake and make that a massive hotel and casino complex with a small “city” surrounding it with sidewalks, streets lined with stores, bars and restaurants... in essence creating a mini “strip” that may resemble Fremont street in old Vegas. Zip lines, bars, activities the casino etc. no cars on the streets in this area just open for people to walk around with a drink and have live music and entertainment stages out there. You could steal so many ideas from the dreaming street complex and tweak it for a more mpdern flare to make it a huge tourist attraction and money generator. That’s a ton of land that it sits on. Then build a type of monorail system that travels down the old mayors private road on the lakefront from The casino into downtown, over to navy pier then west over somewhere near the sears tower area. All of this can easily be done because the infrastructure is already in place like the elevated tracks and the carved out room on the mayor private road. Don’t screw this up Lightfoot, this could be huge and the possibilities are endless. You get one casino... gotta make it count. The Southside is way too close to the Indiana casinos. The west side is an absolute no go for out of town visitors who won’t take the blue line or chance going into that neighborhood just to gamble for a few hours and the northwest side has major shopping outlets, restaurants, hotels and a casino which are cleaner and better area up in rose mint. Downtown needs one, it’s the only place that works.
Pretty sure Joe Biden would be willing to show
up in his customized motorized wheel chair to
cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening. What
could go wrong?
Oh yeah. Those folks who thought they provided a
unique service to the community and their customers
would never leave them (local garage, butcher, florist)
suddenly found out that price was a big driver of
market behavior. Oh well, at least they can buy
Geico car insurance from the lizard (owned by
Warren Buffett).
McCormick Place is perfect, it’s already built, it has its own parking garage, there’s a theater inside already, you have a convention center and hotel nearby... what’s not to like. A casino built in a blighted area will not bring players, who would want to go into a dangerous area to play then take a chance to get robbed on the way out (or sometimes on the way in)
Can you imagine building the casino in Hegweisch or in some god forsaken spot in Englewood?
Loser Lightgroot aka Looney Lightbrain the murder queen HAS to put the casino in the POVERTY, bullet ridden west or south sides. Her favorite "coddle me whilst I club you baby demons" need more wasted investment in their trash filled hell holes. After all, 50 years of tossed away money isn't enough. Never you mind, no one outside the hoods will visit it. She'll sell rides in custom cushioned armoured tanks transporting all the grannies in.
She'll have only her Baton buddies perform at the casino. It will last less than 1 day, as they'll dismantle and shoit it up overnight. She needs to ensure divy bikes and scooters abound outside for the taking. After all, her POVERTY childen need additional theft practice.
Trump plaza is already wired for slots. It was designed with this in mind.
It’s not even that she doesn’t know, it’s just a flat out lie from the progressive playbook. Let’s not forget this years murder leader, Englewood. A Starbucks, Whole Foods, Food 4Less, several Dunkins and private coffee shops, a newly redeveloped city college, at least 5 high schools, too many grammar schools to count, medical clinics, several giant parks with pools and water parks, etc.
Its been proven time and again that the "Economically Disinvested" know how to use public transportation to get to the Mag Mile.
Put the damn thing downtown where it belongs.
It's going to McCormick place they've already started getting it ready.
The old post office is a good idea too now that Eddie isn’t rigging the ‘game.’
Where the Casino lands will benefit a few of the "Connected". In reality, the Casino is too little, too late, and cannot possibly solve the City or State's Pension deficit. People flying into Chicago are already able to gamble in Rosemont, and take advantage of the Mall and excellent restaurants. The type of people who will be gambling at a Chicago Casino, are more likely to be the degenerates who gamble in Indiana. Casinos did not save Atlantic City, New Jersey or Gary, Indiana. Get rid of the Corruption Tax that takes hundreds of dollars annually from every resident of Chicago. End the Corruption that allows members of the Daley family to "Borrow" tens of millions from our pension fund, and then lose it all; except for their multi-million dollar Finders Fee. And finally, if you think the Casino is the City's Salvation, just ask yourself this simple question: Are YOU planning to take your wife, girlfriend, same-sex partner, or companion to the new casino, for an evening of gambling and overpriced food and drinks? I have a feeling that for most of you the answer is NO. The answer to the Pension Crisis is NOT a Casino. Baby "G"
Too late for a Casino.
There’s already one on River road. Business there not doing well
Gotta be downtown.
Under Chicago style management this casino will never turn a profit! Bet on that!!!!
McCormick Place is the most logical place for it,,,,that’s why the idiots running the show won’t do it
Years ago my neighbor worked as an electrician at McCormick place east buliding.
They installed new wiring to connect computer CAT wiring in floor locations.
This was the Daley family making the unused east building ready for slot machines.
It has been there for over 10 years.
Waiting for Casino to be installed.
Central location
Right off expressway
Plenty of parking
And great view of city and lake.. .
Mark my words
Within a few months this place could be open
And bringing in money.
In this city, it’s like every decision has to be race-decided instead of what makes the most practicable sense. This is the best decision-deal with it!
"But picking a less centralized area could undercut the very reason Chicago has long sought the go-ahead from state legislators to get into the gambling business: the windfall of tax revenue that could help cure city and state budget troubles"
We have legalized all the vices except prostitution. With legalized prostitution Chicago and Illinois can finally balance itz budget and bring happiness to all single men and bachelors. A win win all around. I'll send an email to my alderman to get the process started to legalize prostitution. Do your part and contact all reps.
As much as Daley’s parking meter deal was THE WORST FINANCIAL TRANSACTION IN CHICAGO HISTORY, if this casino can be EXPERTLY designed AND LOCATED.......there is the POTENTIAL to recover much of the thrown away revenue from the meter deal.
What about the old post office. I would think its big enough for indoor parking, concert venue, hotel, restaurants, and a casino. its location is pretty good and close to transportation and the expressway. Just a thought.
She has already set herself up for failure on this hot potato. If she puts in the ghetto it will most likely flounder if not fail completely. Why would anyone want to risk their lives to gamble in Englewood or Austin. If she puts it in the McCormick Place area she is going to catch flack from people in the communerty. Either way she loses.
Who cares, none of the profit will go to police pensions anyway. I bet coppers will be lining up for side jobs. Just like chickens working for Colonel Sanders. F Fat boy's casino, I will keep going to Indiana, and fill up my tank before i come home.
Money over idealism? Practicality over dandelion/unicorn thinking?
First, stay tuned to hear the results.
Second...
Kees me you fool!!!!
Tourist don't come to Chicago to go to a casino, so you're foolish if that is the intended target, ahem, customer. The city/suburban residents from all areas are the ones who will come and donate their funds to the the politicians. Parking will be a major hurdle as no one wants to ride CTA to go to/from a casino. I can see now that any CTA methods would be perfect targets for "community members" to help themselves. Build a huge parking lot and have security and they will come. Sad to say but Michael Reese is the perfect property.
Who cares where it goes. Just remember..........all profits go to the pension fund until it gets properly funded.
No matter who builds it, the costs overruns are going to be a story in itself. It will take two years longer than planned and that is after the clouted contractor has been given the contact and the final cost will be six times the originally publicized costs. The break even for cost will be 10 years down the road, but the employee retirement fund will not be funded and Chicago taxpayers will have to again eat much of the interest and costs. This is going to make Short Shanks thievery look like petty crime.
Since Frank, Dean, Joey and Sammy are dead no one will come!
So now we depend on gambling (casinos) and dope dealing (legalized marijuana) to attempt to make good on all this deficit spending going on in the City and State. Very foolish. We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. And by extension, a politician problem.
Just waiting for the torches to be lit and pitchforks to be raised. And when the righteous anger of the people threatens to engulf you political elite types, don’t count on law enforcement, the very ones you’ve tried to screw over and demonize for political gain, to come protect you.
Most politicians, especially in Chicago and Illinois, are a singularly vile breed, devoid of morals, restraint, virtue, honor, and courage.
Getting the state and city governments into the gambling and dope peddling businesses is a new low.
Why not City-owned brothels next?
This will not be a good thing. It will make Chicago even more dangerous and seedier.
If we go down this road, then the gangsters have truly won and families will lose.
Maybe Georgas can move over from the CPD MPEA detail to the CPD Casino detail and run the show!
Well said, SCC. Can't argue with the facts.
The major problem with McCormick Place despite it's great location, is that the groups that hold conventions don't want it there. That has always been the problem with holding conventions in Las Vegas. The last thing they want is for attendees to have something else to do besides going to their show. That's why the big conventions are here in the winter. The weather is to bad to do anything except go to the damn show.
So LL Fool May(or) has to make a big decision.
Might as well put it Downtown near a Red Line stop so that the "poverty" people and folks have immediate transportation to their new jobs and/or criminal careers.
The State/County needs money to fix the social problems that it created. The solution is to elect a Governor who would be identical to Boss Hogg if he wore a white suit and matching hat.
To compliment that solution, we keep re-electing Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane.
To solve these issues, the State legislaters vote to raise the gasoline tax and give themselves a pay raise to offset that new tax.
Then we add more gambling to take advantage of the mathematically challenged voters.
And since drug dealing seems to be lucrative, let's get in the Weed business.
Now that we have all these faithful voters stoned and broke, we should take all their guns away.
Because guns kill people just like cars drive drunk/stoned.
Pencils misspell words
and spoons make people fat.
All we really need is a Daisy Duke to distract us from all of the above...
I wonder if the owners of the new casino will get to decide where it goes?
my brother in law is an electrician who worked on the McCormick place addition years ago; he contended then, and does to this day, that it was wired to be a casino.
It is a given that they will fuck this up.
Put it right next to -- right next to -- Obama's Pyramid To Himself. Amen.
Funny how fat jb is going to decide where this casino goes, coming from a trust fund baby that never worked a day in his life and cheated on his taxes,blaming his wife for removing the toilets to cheat us on taxes. The casino needs to be at the old McCormick place, it already has the wiring,parking etc. However someone mentioned they are looking at the acres of empty land former ghetto housing cha property at 4301 S.Cicero, which is also excellent for a ground up build, creating hundreds of new construction jobs,and permanent jobs. it is Right on I-55, by the entrance/exit ramps, Midway international airport is only 1 mile away,Amtrak is close,and the horse racetrack is 1 mile north everything is already ready but will they do it? Yes governor it is also a disadvantaged area, this would be a great location why not?
Put it SE and you can just keep going to Indiana. Safer, cleaner and cheaper. You’ll also have better chances of winning there than in Chicago. I predict very very tight machines in Chicago due to the many hands in the till.
Based upon past performance,Chicago Politicians will always find a way to go against common sense and logic..
FYI..Casino's like Horseshoe,Ameristar,Majestic(hammond,gary) do not have hotel's around them that people stay,people gamble go to a show then leave,PLUS they do not charge for parking which i'm sure a Chicago casino would,people go to Four winds and Blue Chip if the want to spend a few days away,again no development around any of these casino's.Folks do not want to lose money and end up paying 40.00 for parking,sometimes thats all people have to spend to gamble..Trust me on this,NO ONE charges for parking but Chicago will....
Anonymous said...
Put that casino on the 440 acres of the old US Steel property!
Forget that McCormick Place/McPier. Start a new area. And as
safety goes; have off duty and retirees work it. Forget those
connected security firms. Hyde Park, South Shore, South Chicago
South Deering, Eastside and Hegewisch need the jobs and income.
Those neighborhoods used to be great places to live and many
coppers lives there and still do. Put a weed shop there too, since
that fat governor legalized it.
6/05/2019 02:21:00 AM
Just so your property value down there can go up 5k. Lmfao not a chance
How about the old post office?
Ah yes, another shit project experiment on the the south or west side, RE-investment in the community! What a fuckin joke, I agree with McCormack place being ideal, but that won’t happen on Lightbrain’s watch!
Who will bust the heads of the Chicago yutes when they come charging in to loot and scoot..
Legalized gambling and drugs(weed). How about that for Chicago values. Now fund our pension.
Anonymous said...
The casino will need a "shootin range" for it to be a success in Chicago.
6/05/2019 02:09:00 AM
Shitcago is pretty much a shooting range with targets of the human variety....doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon! Thank you democRATS!
"I was in a Public Safety Administration masters program back in 2007. Our final project was to perform a safety evaluation of McCormick Place. We were given unrestricted access by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority to do so. .."
and the CPD Deputy Chief who is assigned to McPier thanks you greatly for doing his leg work---but dont expect any credit
The Casino was a classic episode of "Chicago stories"
The fellas from Rosemont had Blago with a pen in hand ready to sign anything.Feeling confident they got sloppy and listed names on the investors papers that were blatant..sisters with the same last name etc.
This being Chicago and the Italians about to score,guess who showed up ? If you guessed the Irish you win ! They wanted their piece that they felt entitled to and the Paisoni sat down with them but no agreement could be reached due to the famous tempers of both sides starting a fuck you contest early in the negotiation.
The biggest Irish boss had a relative who was the A.G. and he took her leash off.
The investors list was made real public and the gaming board had to react.
All those involved are well known in Chicago politics/OC, some are dead and some are spoken about on this blog today.(I have Italian/Irish blood and genetically can't recall names.)
Nobody went to jail or got killed but there are hard feelings to this day.This was another example of Blago going off the reservation in the Irish eyes and was used as another nail in the coffin when the "G" was asked for a favor.
The Old man had plans to turn Rosemont into a mini Las Vegas and many believe he would have,ever wonder why there are a million hotel rooms out there? Both sides would have made money by the truckload but greed and Chicago's most famous ethnic rivalry killed the goose before the first egg was laid.
Anonymous said...
McCormick Place is perfect, it’s already built, it has its own parking garage, there’s a theater inside already, you have a convention center and hotel nearby... what’s not to like. A casino built in a blighted area will not bring players, who would want to go into a dangerous area to play then take a chance to get robbed on the way out (or sometimes on the way in)
6/05/2019 03:52:00 AM
That's why I never go to any of the Indiana casinos!
Anonymous said...
The old Lakeside Center, the eastern end of McCORMACK Place. Arie Crown Theater, underground parking, The Stevenson and Lake Shore Drive. A no brainer. The place is wired for heavy duty electrical, plenty of bathrooms and an up to date sprinkler system. Meeting rooms and catering facilities. It can open in six months.
6/05/2019 12:46:00 AM
We are in Chicago....they would have to spend 100 million to remodel the entire place. How else are cronies gonna get their payback. 6 months. Lol.
Anonymous said...
Don’t screw this up! It’s very simple. Build the casino where it’s easily accessible to people. Build it where the tourists are staying downtown. Build it where people with money are out dining and conducting business. IT HAS TO BE DOWNTOWN to work. No one will travel far to go to a casino. Build it downtown and the hotels restaurants and other attractions will reap the benefits. It will also look great in photographs of the city for advertising.
6/05/2019 01:16:00 AM
Exactly. If I'm spending a long weekend somewhere, I don't want to waste a great chunk of that time travelling to see something. Or spend an entire day doing one thing. I could see having lunch, spending a few hours at the casino, then out on the town for dinner and a show. Keep it convenient. It will pay off.
Step 1: Tax citizens abs put that money on a LINK Card.
Step 2: LINK Card holder sells the benefit for fifty cents on the dollar to the local corner store.
Step 3: LINK Card holder gambles the money away.
Step 4: Rinse and repeat monthly.
A McCormack Place casino would have been better with direct air access. Fly the gamers into Meigs Field directly.
But LKR killed that.
Ain't nobody in their right mind going to be traveling SOUTH or WEST to gamble, spend some money, maybe win some money, then
take a chance on getting killed for it the minute you leave the safety and security of a casino. And owners would go bankrupt providing safety and security from all the evil-doers that it would attract.....wasn't it just a few years ago an old retired copper got followed from Indiana and killed for the few lousy bucks he had won??
DOWNTOWN......or as near to downtown as can be......add some food courts, reasonable drink prices, lots of taxi stands, with lots of free parking, and it will bring in a fortune in revenue....don't we have something like 30+ million tourists a year here? And THEY stay downtown.
Hey wait...didn’t former FOP president Dean Angelo promise that the money generated would fund our pension first?????
McCormick has been wired for a casino for over 20 years. They even added stairs leading down to the lake front for what was suppose to be 1 of the boat casino that were all over Ill. Don t even think of west side or south side to BRING JOBS TO THE AREA.They are already ruining the MAG MILE and now ur going to bring the chickens to the fox hole. Easier to let them ride the train to the job.
Sophia “I’m friends with the Obamas “ king doesn’t want it at Michael Reese because people of color will be affected. The city owns the land, no brained. I wonder what she’s up to. Her lobbyist husband is on Raouls team and was partners with crooked Ruiz who is involved with fat ass pritzker. Watch this carefully as she cannot be trusted as she is a machine scum tied to Preckwinkle and Rahm thru hubby.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
The casino will need a "shootin range" for it to be a success in Chicago.
6/05/2019 02:09:00 AM
Excellent idea. Maybe lightgroot can establish pratice ranges for the self cleaning oven season. Increase their accuracy so innocents and property aren't turned into swiss cheese and the media has fewer lies. Never mind they'll collect city ghetto lottery dollars for accuracy, lead exposure and who knows what else.
Carry on stay fetal
Keeping with typical Chicago politician fashion, it already looks like they’re going to screw this up. All this talk about “putting the casino in “poor” neighborhoods to create jobs” will without a doubt fail. People will travel to the other surrounding casinos instead. I don’t understand this logic. Why can’t people commute a little to work at the casino? I commute over an hour to and from work. There’s public transportation etc. Chicago has waited forever to get a casino. It’s a one time shot. Put it downtown and the jobs and revenue it will create is unlimited. Anyone staying downtown for business or travel will not commute far from where they are to go to a casino. It has to be easy. Especially people who are on the fence about going out gambling a little. If it’s far away they’re probably going to skip that idea. A downtown casino will be a boom for restaurants, bars, stores, attractions etc
I agree, a New Freemont street concept would work great here. I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago and was impressed on how the area around the old Imperial Palace had been revitalized by the stores and restaurants there that led straight to, what seems to be now a major city's must have, a ferris wheel for great views of the city. I sure hope they don't try the same old crap of trying to maintain the integrity of the lake front like they did with Soldier Field and laying an egg like they did in that instance. Remember Burnham's mantra: "make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die. but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency".
It’s all true...
When I came on the job, gamblers could get arrested.
Possession and/or sale of marijuana could get you arrested.
Carrying a gun (UUW) could get you arrested.
Burglars could be shot!
Illegals could get arrested simply because of just that and were picked up the next morning by ICE.
States Attorneys actually prosecuted almost all cases. No really-they did!
Judges had a higher ratio of actually being “Honorable”.
Most bosses knew the job.
There were a very few reporters that could be trusted and came through when needed.
Great days and the job was a blast-especially with a good partner!
Retired, 30+
Attention Idiot Chicago politicians!!! Please don’t fuck this one time chance for success up! If you build it in the wrong place just to get yourselves votes. You will have nothing. If no one goes to the casino and opts for the surrounding casinos then it worthless and a huge loss. Build it downtown and Chicago wins. That’s where the people go for business, travel and entertainment. Cubs Bears Bulls Hawks and Sox fans will go there after the games too. Put it downtown. It obvious.
Didn’t we “negotiate” majority of casino earnings /profits would go towards police pension ? I bet they forgot about that.
only place in the country that draws tourists with gambling is Las Vegas.
Poll the conventions that still come here and they will tell you it is to avoid gambling. The casino has to draw people from Chicago or it will do what only Trump did in the gambling business and go bankrupt
Please put it in the West/South side. Those poor downtrodden neighborhoods need a casino!
Dear Mayor Lori,
Lucy and I are thinking of getting a summer visa and
driving the RV up to the grounds around Lake Michigan
so we can get the cool lake winds in the steaming heat.
I've been checking out RV parks. Lucy likes to gamble
but I think your new casino will not be ready by then.
She will have to gamble in the barrios.
We'll let you know when we are coming. We have a
pet baby goat that should be big enough to stand on
your back for Goat Yoga. Lucy is into that stuff and
has extra mats. I'll be in touch.
Sincerely,
Ricky Avocado
Michael Reese property , Old Post Office , South East Steel Mills
Saguanash
Plunk it down on an the Northeast side along the Kennedy Xway. Maybe by the old Morton Salt factory. LSD, the Kenney, North Ave and Elston will feed it, and it will be far, far away from me and anywhere I need to travel. I don't want it anywhere near me. Congestion builds, billboards will pop up everwhere and the thugs and thieves will be a mainstay fixture each and every day, and on top of them willm be all be beggers and junkies looking for handouts. I will travel to it if and when I have the need.
Damn scc you're good ...there was a bill pending Springfield to demolish the old
McCormick place ..watch..& see ...casino & ,new park adjacent to mccormick site
put it where the urban predators will feel right at home.
put it in the loop and sure as shit it will revert back to the 70s and 80s.
put it in that barn they built for de paul.
just don't put it in the hands of the city.
Look at who owns the property around the old US Steel land on the far south side.
Is there any way welfare recipients can be banned from the casinos in Illinois? I don't gamble and I don't appreciate folks gambling with money they did not work for.
Anyone bother to question the impact casino auto traffic will have wherever it's put? It'll create a 24 hour cluster flop of gigantic proportions. Pity the locals who'll suffer.
Bids and bribes? Room 500. Don't insult us with anything less than 7 figures.
This has Westside written all over it!!!
Flournoy and Pine. Good public transportation.
In a 1992 letter to the director of the Chicago crime commission, Wm. E Jahoda, former outfit gambling honcho, said of a casino in Chicago, "and converging from six continents will next be every pimp, burglar, grifter, car thief, booster, arsonist, counterfeiter, whore, dope dealer, con man, hi-jacker, extortionist, and worse making a pilgrimage toward those same beguiling neon beacons". sounds delightful. Give the police something to do other than oppress "the community"
Roosevelt road on the south -Taylor street to the north-Kostner to the west-Karlov to the east. You heard it here first.K-town casino.
Let me get this straight--if the City wants to make money, they can place the casino in a "more desirable" area, but private companies should go to "blighted" areas? (and inevitably lose money) She truly needs to explain this to corporations.
We needs it to be near a Red Line location so that’s our young folks be able to get employment and our young kids have easy access to carjacking, pickpocketing, muggings, selling stolen candy bars for their baseball teams, acting the fool, showing out of town gamblers they dirty undershorts...
Knowing how this city operates, it’ll probably end up in the Obama Cooling Center.
Putting a casino in a rat infested ‘hood neighborhood is like opening a Target store in the same spot. The good intentions to ‘normalize the neighbors’ are there, but it will quickly close due to the enormous amount of shoplifting, muggings, car break-ins, panhandlers, customers slipping on the floor and howling for $1 million justice...
Whenever it goes, can we be 100% assured that Nobody in the Daley family will get 1 cent from any of this?!?
Yeah-I’m a tourist. After seeing the mayhem that beholds Michigan Avenue and hearing nationwide reporting about the weekend murder rates, I really look forward to ordering a lift to 59th & State or Chicago & Pulaski for a fun night of gambling...
Is it true the pensions are only going to get 1/3rd of the $$,wtf!
Captain Quint said...
Hey wait...didn’t former FOP president Dean Angelo promise that the money generated would fund our pension first?????
6/05/2019 11:45:00 AM
Pension is getting cut going to have to start collecting a street tax for retirement!
For God sake get slot machines to O’Hare and Midway. Everyday we don’t, we walk away with money on the table.
Went to one of the Northern In Casio so and felt like the token. Will never go back. Same will be the case for a Cisco in Chicago no matter where they build it. Be careful with a downtown location could and will draw the wrong crowd. Migs Field would be best as it could be most isolated from housing and other entertainment venues. Be very cautious about what you wish for.
You can bet 100% that most if not all of Daley friends will get their fair share. The Daley family perfected the Chicago Way into an art form.
K town idea not bad since the connected Italian families own most of the property. What a great way to get them involved. No money need change hands just 51% control of all operations. What could go wrong.?
Anonymous said...
The major problem with McCormick Place despite it's great location, is that the groups that hold conventions don't want it there. That has always been the problem with holding conventions in Las Vegas. The last thing they want is for attendees to have something else to do besides going to their show. That's why the big conventions are here in the winter. The weather is to bad to do anything except go to the damn show.
6/05/2019 08:45:00 AM
------------------------------------------------
Vegas has a huge convention complex and has slowly but surely been taking shows away from Chicago. Has a monorail that transports people to the strip.In Vegas you don't have to have a union electrician come to your booth to plug in a lamp.
there r no safe areas in chicago. look what gambling did for detroit. brisk pawn shop business and more crime.
Moved out of the shitty but still in Illinois. New casino complex coming to Rockford. I'll lose my money there ir in Elgin. Fuqk Chiraq.
Here are the facts, the Casino will not work at McCormick Place. I have been saying for years that it’s a no brainer
However it’s a known fact that the first day of a convention everyone is on the convention floor, the other days are spent at the casino
And other entertainment venues thus creating less people at the convention. McCormick place is out, next place would be the old post office building?
Anonymous said...
In a 1992 letter to the director of the Chicago crime commission, Wm. E Jahoda, former outfit gambling honcho, said of a casino in Chicago, "and converging from six continents will next be every pimp, burglar, grifter, car thief, booster, arsonist, counterfeiter, whore, dope dealer, con man, hi-jacker, extortionist, and worse making a pilgrimage toward those same beguiling neon beacons". sounds delightful. Give the police something to do other than oppress "the community"
6/05/2019 05:48:00 PM
Another retarded organized crime piece of shit.
Anonymous said...
Plunk it down on an the Northeast side along the Kennedy Xway. Maybe by the old Morton Salt factory. LSD, the Kenney, North Ave and Elston will feed it, and it will be far, far away from me and anywhere I need to travel. I don't want it anywhere near me. Congestion builds, billboards will pop up everwhere and the thugs and thieves will be a mainstay fixture each and every day, and on top of them willm be all be beggers and junkies looking for handouts. I will travel to it if and when I have the need
I wonder why none of this has occurred by present casinos?
I agree, a New Freemont street concept would work great here. I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago and was impressed on how the area around the old Imperial Palace had been revitalized by the stores and restaurants there that led straight to, what seems to be now a major city's must have, a ferris wheel for great views of the city. I sure hope they don't try the same old crap of trying to maintain the integrity of the lake front like they did with Soldier Field and laying an egg like they did in that instance. Remember Burnham's mantra: "make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die. but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency".
6/05/2019 12:36:00 PM
Forever open, free and clear. Montgomery Ward.
Anonymous said...
Flournoy and Pine. Good public transportation.
6/05/2019 05:29:00 PM
Amateur...
Pine & Ferdinand.
Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
Don’t screw this up! It’s very simple. Build the casino where it’s easily accessible to people. Build it where the tourists are staying downtown. Build it where people with money are out dining and conducting business. IT HAS TO BE DOWNTOWN to work. No one will travel far to go to a casino. Build it downtown and the hotels restaurants and other attractions will reap the benefits. It will also look great in photographs of the city for advertising.
6/05/2019 01:16:00 AM
Exactly. If I'm spending a long weekend somewhere, I don't want to waste a great chunk of that time travelling to see something. Or spend an entire day doing one thing. I could see having lunch, spending a few hours at the casino, then out on the town for dinner and a show. Keep it convenient. It will pay off.
6/05/2019 11:25:00 AM
"hotels and restaurants'" will reap no benefits. The suckers go to the casino, lose all of their money, and want a free buffet. they don't go to any neighboring restaurants or businesses. Take a look at Joliet, Aurora and Elgin.
Anonymous said...
The Casino was a classic episode of "Chicago stories"
The fellas from Rosemont had Blago with a pen in hand ready to sign anything.Feeling confident they got sloppy and listed names on the investors papers that were blatant..sisters with the same last name etc.
This being Chicago and the Italians about to score,guess who showed up ? If you guessed the Irish you win ! They wanted their piece that they felt entitled to and the Paisoni sat down with them but no agreement could be reached due to the famous tempers of both sides starting a fuck you contest early in the negotiation.
The biggest Irish boss had a relative who was the A.G. and he took her leash off.
The investors list was made real public and the gaming board had to react.
All those involved are well known in Chicago politics/OC, some are dead and some are spoken about on this blog today.(I have Italian/Irish blood and genetically can't recall names.)
Nobody went to jail or got killed but there are hard feelings to this day.This was another example of Blago going off the reservation in the Irish eyes and was used as another nail in the coffin when the "G" was asked for a favor.
The Old man had plans to turn Rosemont into a mini Las Vegas and many believe he would have,ever wonder why there are a million hotel rooms out there? Both sides would have made money by the truckload but greed and Chicago's most famous ethnic rivalry killed the goose before the first egg was laid.
6/05/2019 11:03:00 AM
Total bullshit. A former FBI Agent, Jim Wagner, who was in their organized crime squad, and later worked for the Illinois Gaming Board, is responsible for Rosemont not getting the license. Great police work.
Anonymous said...
Put it as close to Chinatown as you can.......the buses pull out from there regularly to the casinos in Indiana.
6/05/2019 12:08:00 AM
Good idea. All of your high-rollers like to take the bus.
Anonymous said...
This is a no brainer. Build it downtown in the business district and it will be completely unique. There’s too many casinos surrounding Chicago so having it downtown will isolate it from the competition. It will generate revenue to everything around it. It will be a revenue bomb if put in the right place.
6/05/2019 01:23:00 AM
You are a no brainer. It won't generate one dime for anything around it. Take a look at casinos already open in Illinois.
Only been to one local casino. Was expecting a Vegas experience. It was dreary by comparison. Sad looking people spending their last dime on their addiction and busloads of seniors. Vegas was built around the whole gambling-nightlife experience. With our climate especially, that ain't gonna be here. Put it where poor people and seniors can be bused in. And yes, to go along with legalized drugs and gambling, prostitution can't be far behind......
Who will the connected jag bag be that gets the concessions at the chicago casinos? Will a cup of shitty coffee cost 10 times more then it should?
Chicago should of had casinos 40 year's ago. A bit too late now, don't you think !!!!
Put it next to the Pritzker mansion
Total bullshit. A former FBI Agent, Jim Wagner, who was in their organized crime squad, and later worked for the Illinois Gaming Board, is responsible for Rosemont not getting the license. Great police work.
6/05/2019 10:10:00 PM
Great Police work ? Can you explain how Jim was hired by the Gaming board ?
Did Jim see the opening on Jobs.com ? Any contributions to Citizens for _______ ?
In the last few years the Country has learned all about current/former agents and who pulls their strings.
Surely it will go in Mike Madigans sistrict
Anonymous said...
Put it next to the Pritzker mansion
6/06/2019 10:59:00 AM
Well if it's gonna be all that, just put
a slot machine with no handle in the farthest
removed Cook County Forest Preserve shit shack
and dedicate it to Gov. Blob...
JB Jag Bag and his crooked budies will decide where the casino goes. Not the neophyte twerp mayor.
Madigan was taken care of very well in the budget with $50 million going to his wife’s bs Illinois arts council. What about all the indictments that were supposed to be coming from Rahm’s boy John Lausch? Oh yes, he’s too busy doing photo ops with phony Lori. All talk from the fake us attorney who allowed Rahm and his buddies to run wild. All those hours of tape and Madigan slides. This is a total fake. The burke indictments were only intended to get their own democratic scum Lori elected. It’s all a joke.
Agree or not?
A Good Way to Wreck a Local Economy: Build Casinos
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/08/a-good-way-to-wreck-a-local-economy-build-casinos/375691/
Top Urbanists Agree: Casinos Ruin Cities
https://www.christianitytoday.com/thisisourcity/detroit/why-casinos-are-bad-for-your-city.html
Casinos Prey on the Left Behind
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/casinos-preying-on-the-left-behind/
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