The city did not conduct a new safety study to determine how crime would be impacted by a casino - in hopes of getting the casino up and generating revenue quickly.
On Monday, a special City Council committee on the casino threw questions about issues from crime to traffic and ethics at the would-be operator, Bally's, and at Mayor Lori Lightfoot's team, whichAs CBS 2's Chris Tye reported, the city did not conduct a new safety study to determine how crime would be impacted by a casino - in hopes of getting the casino up and generating revenue quickly. Some in the City Council feel it is too fast for something this big.
"I've got to be honest with you all - I thought this would be the last that would be chosen, but things work in mysterious ways," Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. said on the Zoom meeting.The city wants a temporary casino dealing at the historic Medinah Temple at 600 N. Wabash Ave. in River North next year, so they can spend Bally's $40 million in upfront dollars fast.
Then, a permanent casino is to be constructed at the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center publishing plant, near Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street in River West, by 2026 at the latest.But Ald. Brendan Reilly says it is all happening too fast - and he has questions about the company the city chose that ultimately led to the mayor's endorsement of Bally's.
"Union Gaming was contracted to provide projections for us; financial analysis," Reilly asked officials."Who checked their homework?" "Ultimately, Union Gaming Analytics - which provides us our revenue forecasts - have done work with all three bidders in the past," said city Chief Financial Officer Jennie Bennett."It's a very small niche market."
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