Why All 3 Chicago Casino Proposals Are Facing Serious Public Backlash

Written By Joe Boozell on April 20, 2022
lori lightfoot

Three Chicago casino community meetings took place earlier this month, and they presented an opportunity for residents to pepper Hard Rock, Bally’s and Rivers with questions.

And there were concerns. Chicago residents, many of whom are against a game in their area, questioned and worried about all three companies.

Their top worries were rising traffic, crime, problem gambling, falling house values, and a general decline in quality of living.

There are legitimate issues with all of the ideas, even though those who are passionate enough to attend a community meeting does not speak for the general public. The worries does not directly relate to the proposals themselves, but rather are a healthy reason for the third-largest game in the US.

In any case, it seems that Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team are unfazed. By this summer, Lightfoot is anticipated to select a winning Chicago game play.

popular worries about the game in Chicago

The most frequent complaints about each charge from locals and authorities are listed below:

One Central Hard Rock

Why All 3 Chicago Casino Proposals Are Facing Serious Public Backlash 2

Ald. This week, Pat Dowell( 3rd ) stated that she was unable to support the Hard Rock andrsquo’s game proposal program close to Soldier Field.

Dowell stated in an article:

The Hard Rock Casino at One Central may be incorporated into a thriving, well-established home area in the South Loop of Chicago’s Prairie District. I’m worried about the thickness of the Hard Rock Casino plan as a result. & rdquo,

Dowell continued by saying she opposes the Hard Rock initiative but supports a game in Chicago.

At the group gathering around the One Centraldevelopment, there was a lot of worry about the Hard Rock plan. The game may be located in One Central, and the multibillion dollar mixed-use advancement still needs to be approved.

For the same cause Dowell stated, some locals are against One Central.

Chicago’s Bally & rsquo, s

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Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) supports a Chicago casino but opposes one in his “political backyard.”

Reilly said that he hopes Mayor Lightfoot:

The concerns expressed by residents of the River North, River West, and Fulton River District are given the same weight and consideration by & ldquo as they are by those of those who live in the 3rd and 25th wards. Our public safety pension systems are depending on the City & rsquo’s efforts to open a casino in Chicago and Madison. & rdquo,

Additionally, it was stated that opening a game into:

One of the city & rsquo, & ldquo’s already thriving, fastest-growing, high-density, mixed-use neighborhoods would be a missed opportunity for Chicago to benefit economically. & rdquo,

Residents were also not pleased with the idea of locating a game in the middle of their personal neighborhood during the community meeting, as one might expect.

Rivers 78

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Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th) went as far as to say the selection process is “rigged” and that “the writing is on the wall” in favor of the Rivers proposal. He opposes the project.

There was also a protest outside of the Rivers 78 community meeting. The casino would be near Chinatown, and Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community executive director Grace Chan McKibben has serious concerns about the proposal.

She saidResidents of Chinatown have been preyed upon by entertainment companies in a unique way, making them particularly susceptible to game advertising.

She also voiced worries about sound, transportation, and other issues.

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Boozell, Joe

Boozell, Joe has also been a college sports writer for NCAA.com since 2015. His work has also appeared in Bleacher Report, FoxSports.com and NBA.com. Growing up, Boozell squared off against both Anthony Davis and Frank Kaminsky in the Chicagoland basketball scene … you can imagine how that went.

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