Bally’s began demolition work for their downtown Chicago casino on Tuesday

After the first demolition work was done on the former Chicago Tribune publishing plant, Bally’s took the next step toward opening their $1.7 million downtown casino in Chicago. There was a small ceremony held where viewers watched an excavator pull down a chunk of the building. Demolition work will continue for the next five months. Bally’s said they are targeting the casino to open in September 2026. Additionally, the company is coming up on its first anniversary of opening its temporary casino in Medinah Temple. So far, 2024 has been a banner year for Bally’s. In early July, they acquired full property rights to the Tribune Publishing Plant grounds. They’ve also secured $940 million in funding from Gaming and Lesuires Proprety Inc. That brings their total capital to over $2 billion. With that funding, Bally’s will be able to the casino and a 500-room hotel as part of a full project. Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim had this to say.

“With demolition now underway, we celebrate this milestone, embark on the revitalization of this glorious riverfront location, and eagerly anticipate the world-class casino and entertainment resort that will soon rise up on this spot.” – said Soo Kim

Public officials want to see how River West can be developed further

Walter Burnett Jr. is the Vice Mayor and Alderman of the 27th Ward in Chicago. That includes the River West neighborhood where Bally’s is in the process of building their brand-new casino. Burnett is a long-time resident of the area and he’s thanked Bally’s for their commitment to the local area. Additionally, Burnett mentioned how he was a teenager when the Chicago Tribune plant building was built. Years later, he wants to ensure that the youth of this area are thriving as well. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was unable to attend the demolition ceremony on Tuesday as he was at the Democratic National Convention.

In total, Bally’s received five demolition permits for the two structures of the property. Their demolition crew will follow the Chicago Noise Ordinance rules. That allows them to work from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The demolition crew will not use any explosives or wrecking balls. Finally, the city will have multiple construction projects going on at one time according to John Bosca. He is the President Emeritus at Neighbors of River West and is on the Casino Community Advisory Council. They will be tearing down and rebuilding the Chicago Halstead Bridge and replacing the Chicago River Bridge.