• Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, with the assistance of casino operator Bally’s, announced the formation of the Casino Community Advisory Council (CAC), which will act as a “community input channel” as the city moves forward with its first casino.
• The planned Casino CAC is comprised of residents, community groups from adjacent communities, and specialists on a variety of stated pertinent topics. 
• The Department of Planning and Development, the Mayor’s Office of Community Engagement, the Department of Transportation, and the CFO’s office will jointly manage and oversee the CAC.

Creating Casino Community Advisory Council 

The group will meet quarterly to discuss the project and address community concerns such as arts and entertainment, economic development and planning, social impacts of gambling, housing and community development, infrastructure and transportation, local industry, equity participation, open space and environment, business and finance, public safety, public transit, organized labor, and job creation. 

The Casino CAC membership is subject to change throughout the engagement process in order to address further community issues.

Bally’s, which submitted its application to build Chicago’s first casino to the Illinois Gaming Board last month, is receiving local support for its project from river advocates and ecological preservationists, who claim that the casino represents an opportunity to develop the riverfront in the proper manner.

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Obtaining a Community Input through the Construction

The goal of the new Casino CAC is to establish a venue for continued community interaction throughout the construction of Bally’s casino. Priority will be given to obtaining community input on the construction of the full permanent site; however, the committee will also evaluate problems pertaining to the management of the temporary site as they pertain to the future permanent casino project. The Casino CAC will remain unchanged until the casino’s debut.

Bally’s stated that it would invest $70 million to open a temporary casino at Medinah Temple by June 2023 while developing the $1.7 billion permanent hotel-casino at the former Chicago Tribune site downtown along the Chicago River, which could necessitate an expedited gaming board process. The 1.74 billion dollar resort is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2026.

Since the outset, Bally’s has prioritized listening to and responding to community feedback, said Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim. The firm is committed to being better neighbors and corporate citizens and looks forward to engaging with all members of the Chicago Casino Advisory Council. 

Alderman of the 27th Ward, Walter Burnett, stated that the Community Advisory Council will ensure that the casino is created to the highest standards and resolves every concern made by community people. The CAC will play a crucial part in the development of the casino, and he commends Mayor Lightfoot and the rest of her staff for assembling an amazing group.