Chicago Casino Update: Mayor Lightfoot Invites Biggest Las Vegas Names To Apply

The sole game license in Chicago will be put up for bid by some Las Vegas entertainment companies, according to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

“Lightfoot stated that she believes we have a lot to offer, especially to the seasoned gaming interests that call Las Vegas home,” as cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

In April, the city will release a Request for Proposals (RFP), with the goal of choosing a winning bidder by the end of the year, Chicago anticipates.

In December, the city published the findings from its initial Request For Information (RFI).

Eleven organizations responded to the plea, and the majority of potential operators agreed that they would favor a location near the city center.

Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International, and Hard Rock International were some of the respondents. Are they the leading contenders for the Chicago casino license?

Let’s take a look, let’s.

Lightfoot is explicitly seeking applicants from Las Vegas

Lightfoot is clearly aiming to make a significant impact with the Chicago game job.

“Our potential for success is limitless because we aim to make our Request for Proposal attractive to some of the most prominent gaming companies globally. Without naming names, it’s clear that applications from certain companies would bring us immense joy.”

Wynn Resorts expressed curiosity.

“We take interest when a significant large city contemplates opening a gaming resort. Chicago matches that description,” said Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn, in an interview with Crain’s Chicago Business.

MGM and Hard Rock, two of the most renowned companies, appeared to respond to the RFI and seem to be in the running as well.

Lightfoot aims to attract the top US users, but that isn’t her only objective.

“I’m hoping many applicants will be from Las Vegas. I want to make it clear that our approach is entirely transparent and open. We’re not going to give anyone special treatment. We are looking for someone who can truly appreciate the amazing opportunity this is and see it as more than just a simple construction project. We want them to be a vital part of an extremely exciting entertainment complex.”

Lightfoot expects that the Chicago game would have debuted by 2025 at the latest.

That being said, six RFI responders expressed their desire for a temporary game while the permanent service is under construction.

The casino operation in Chicago has been slow.

In 2019, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker approved a gaming expansion law, sanctioning six new casino locations in the Land of Lincoln.

In 2021, only one area – Rockford – has been deemed initially appropriate for a casino. The implementation process continues with the majority of users.

The Hard Rock owns the casino in Rockford.

However, compared to the other five regions, the game process in Chicago is progressing at an even slower pace.

For some time, two major hurdles were in charge: the level of tax and differing perspectives on where to locate.

The tax requirement was reduced by the legislature, and a downtown location is almost unanimously agreed upon.

Lightfoot had previously suggested these five areas:

• Harborside
• Reese, Michael
• Condition and Pershing
• Kostner and Roosevelt
• Steel from US

The majority of these are not located in the city center; instead, they are situated on either the south or north sides of the city.

From Lightfoot’s latest comments, it seems she wouldn’t object to a downtown location. Considering that most RFI respondents prefer a city game, it’s likely that this will happen.

Despite the gradual pace, it seems that we will achieve substantial progress in 2021.

People from Chicago may not anticipate the Bears winning the Super Bowl in the next four years, but they might get their casino.