CHICAGO —Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced today that the City has selected Bally’s Corporation to be the recipient of its sole casino license and the developer to create a world-class casino-resort and entertainment experience in Chicago on the site of the Tribune Publishing Center.  

Not the best kept secret

For over a week word has been leaking through the media that the Bali project would be selected as the site of the new casino. Well the mayor denied this until today when he said: “I am proud to announce that Bally’s Corporation will create a world-class entertainment district in our city that will delight residents and tourists alike, she continues, “Following significant analyses and community input on all aspects of our three finalists for Chicago’s casino license, the selection committee and I have chosen Bally’s to move forward in the development of the City’s first integrated casino resort. We are confident that Bally’s Tribune Publishing Center development will shore up the City’s pension funds, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and lead to a bright financial future for our city.”  

A closer look at the proposal

The proposal from Bally’s entails a $1.7 billion casino project and hotel on a portion of the current industrial Tribune Publishing Center. This includes a 3,000-seat theater; an Immerse Agency exhibition experience; an extension of the Riverwalk; pedestrian bridge; a 500-room hotel tower; an outdoor park; an outdoor music venue; an amenity terrace featuring a large pool spa, fitness center and sun deck; and six restaurants, cafes and a food hall. The casino will offer space for 3,400 slots and 170 table games. Bally’s Corporation projected the development will add more than 3,000 construction jobs annually and 3,000 permanent casino jobs.  

Why Bally?

Economic and Financial Benefits to the City: Bally’s offered the strongest overall financial offer to the City. Bally’s provided a $40 million upfront payment at the time of the signing of the Host Community Agreement along with $4 million annually per year thereafter.  Bally’s has also provided the highest minimum capital commitment to the project, and is the only submitting operator that did not have a competing casino in the Chicagoland region.  Job Creation: Bally’s has completed an agreement with organized labor, which the City deems necessary for this process to move forward. Bally’s will commit to 60% minority hiring and will create a jobs program specifically targeting neighborhoods with the highest levels of unemployment and lowest income. The jobs program also will include clear career pathways for upward mobility.  Equity: Bally’s has provided a unique proposal concerning equity through a crowdfunding initiative, which includes the ability for small investors to leverage up their investment with non-recourse debt. The casino also will create opportunities for small, local restaurants and businesses to have business opportunities in the casino. Design, Planning, Amenities, and Transportation: The casino is proposed on a site that sits within an important land-use transition zone, with several large-scale existing industrial and commercial uses nearby that will continue to provide critical services to the City.  Site: Bally’s will be purchasing the entire Tribune site and is, therefore, flexible in how the other parcels within this planned development can be redeveloped; the company has committed to take input from the community for these pieces. Temporary Casino: Bally’s anticipates operating a temporary casino at the Medinah Temple. This was chosen due to its proximity to major transit and retail/hospitality corridors, as well as its ability to assist in the City’s post-Covid revitalization. 

What; Next

Now that Bally’s Corporation has been selected, a comprehensive host community agreement memorializing the agreed upon terms will be negotiated. The host community agreement will then be evaluated by an Aldermanic special committee. The committee will consist of all the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of City Council Committees as well as President Pro Tempore Alderman Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward. The Special Committee will be chaired by Alderman Tom Tunney, 44th Ward, and vice-chaired by Alderman Jason Ervin, 28th Ward. All of the City Council will be involved in the process for the final recommendation.  

On May 9 there will be a subject matter hearing for the special committee to ask questions about the selected finalist. The City will host a community engagement event at UIC Forum, 725 W Roosevelt Road on May 12, 2022 from 7PM – 9PM. The public can register to attend beginning May 5, 2022 at 11AM on the registration page

A Long Time Coming

The City of Chicago first declared intentions to develop a casino more than 30 years ago. Original legislation for the casino license passed in Springfield in May of 2019 and months later the City fielded public interest in a Chicago casino with a survey that revealed favorable responses. The City then identified tax rates were too high and Union Gaming conducted a feasibility study in August 2019 that determined at the current rate, a casino would not be feasible in the city. The City earned an amended tax structure in May 2020 and Union Gaming announced via a whitepaper in August 2020 that under the amended tax structure, a Chicago casino was an operationally and financially feasible option. With the pandemic impacting much of the gaming industry, the City issued a request for information (RFI) which led to 11 responses from interested potential bidders.  

In April of 2021, the City issued the official requests for proposals (RFP). The RFP closed in October and resulted in five proposals from four bidders. In March of 2022, following a complete evaluation report and community presentations in December, the City narrowed the bids to three finalists. In April 2022, the finalists held community engagement with each of the bidders, and following further evaluation, on May 5, Bally’s Corporation at Tribune Publishing Center was selected as the recipient of the City’s sole casino license. . 

The Location

The location of the proposed casino at Halsted and Chicago Avenue in the former Chicago Tribune Freedom Center promises to be an exciting extension to Chicago Riverwalk creating a one of a kind entertainment center.

It all started with babka. For the last month or so, I’d had a hankering for a slice of the stuff. So when I was asked to bring a dessert to a brunch at my sister and my brother-in- law’s house, I knew just what I would get.

Babka. Not just any babka. A chocolate babka. From Leonard’s Bakery in Northbrook. And if chocolate wasn’t available, I would snag a cinnamon nut one. Leonard’s, after all, was legendary on the North Shore for their Jewish-style favorites: challah bread, hamentashen, rugelach, mandel bread, and, yes, babka.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with babka, it’s a dense, braided bread-like cake made with yeast and layers of sweet filling. It was made famous in a “Seinfeld” episode. Babka originated in the Jewish communities of Poland, Russia and Ukraine in the early 19th century, and it’s often found here in kosher and Jewish bakeries.

Leonard’s wasn’t exactly next door to my house, but it was close to my doctor’s office. I decided I would stop there after my upcoming appointment.

My mouth was watering as my husband pulled into the bakery’s parking lot, but we soon realized there was no Leonard’s there. In its place was, however, the Wake N Bakery.

We were in shock. What happened to Leonard’s? Did they change their name? Were they bought out? Do they still sell Leonard’s goodies? We were already they there, so what the heck. We went inside to check it out.

When we stepped inside the front door, we could see right away the store looked completely different. The place was freshly painted, very stark, with colorful, hippie-like murals, like something you’d like on a Grateful Dead album cover.

There was no line of beautiful babkas or row upon row of fragrant challah breads. None of Leonard’s famous chocolate coffee cakes drenched in glistening, sweet, chocolatey goodness.

Was there the heavenly scent freshly baked goodies? There was none. Nada. Zilch.

There were a few sweets on display. But the prices!? Damn. I mean $16.88 for a brownie!? Chocolate Chip Pecan cookies for $10.88??? Each. Whaaaaat!?

Behind the counter, a tall, friendly, bearded young man could see we were completely befuddled. He told us Leonard’s, which had been in business for 34 years, closed two years ago.

The guy explained to us clueless souls that Wake N Bakery was a bakery which sold sweets and drinks items which were infused with cannabis, THC hemp-derived cannabis. The sweet baked goods were made right on the premises, too. (Later I learned the bakery was a franchise of the bakery and coffee shop, Wake-N-Bakery in Lakeview.)

Aha! Now it made sense.

“Would you like to try a Banana Nut muffin? Or an Oreo cupcake?” he asked. He explained the cupcakes ranged in price from $8.88 to $10.88 to $18.88. The nice guy explained that the cupcake price differential was due to how big the cannabis infusion was. The larger the infusion, the higher the price of the cupcake.

“Not today, I said. “Maybe next time.” And I meant it. Maybe we would “get “sconed,” as it says on the bakery’s website, in the future.

When I badgered the nice bearded guy with more questions about Leonard’s, he kindly and patiently told us, Wake ‘N Bakery did not sell any products made from Leonard’s recipes, but Once Upon a Deli, located next door, did. The business had purchased some of Leonard’s recipes.

With that info, we hightailed it next door with high (no pun intended) hopes. They did have some of Leonard’s standbys. But sadly, no babkas. Turned out they didn’t make or sell babkas.

At Once Upon a Deli, we ended up buying a chocolate coffee cake, which tasted exactly the same as the one I remember from Leonard’s. Over-the- top sweet. Drowning in chocolate. Addictively delicious. So much so, one bite and we were experiencing a high of our own. It may have been just a sugar buzz high, nevertheless, for now at least, it was high enough for us.

Pat Benatar. Duran Duran. Eminem. Eurythmics. Dolly Parton. Lionel Richie. Carly Simon. These are the headliners of this year’s inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Yeah, I know Dolly Parton isn’t rock and roll. Yeah, I know Eminem isn’t rock and roll. But, the rock hall made it clear years ago they’re more than a little flexible with the different genres of music of their inductees. Besides, how can you say anything bad about Dolly? She deserves every accolade that she receives….and more.

It also gets old and tiresome to argue for those musicians who I feel have been overlooked by the Hall voters. I’ve made cases for Warren Zevon, Little Feat, Jethro Tull and a few others so many times that I’ve lost count of the numbers.

So, instead of lamenting about who is not in, why not celebrate those who will be inducted in November. We can celebrate Pat Benatar, who should have been elected years ago. We can celebrate the Eurythmics, who also should have been elected years ago. We can celebrate the record number of women who were elected this year. We should and can be as gracious as Dolly Parton, who when learning of her election, tweeted this:

I am honored and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course, I will accept it gracefully. Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the rock hall. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.

Related Post: We need more women in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

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This week we have Mother’s Day, of course. Some Kentucky Derby events and a few leftover Cinco de Mayo beer events. And next week we get Chicago Craft Beer Week, starting with Beer Under Glass. More details and I compile the many events going with this.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, we have another temporary COVID-related shutdown. Flapjack Brewing announced they had learned two of their employees tested positive over the previous weekend. They are performing the due diligence of closing down and sanitizing per CDC guidelines. They will announce a specific re-opening later.

Mother’s Day, May 8