Take Me Out To The Ballgame And More: Illinois Hopes To ‘Fully Reopen’ By July 4
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot is targeting a complete reopening of Chicago by July 4, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is hopeful that the entire state can follow suit.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Lightfoot stated that she hopes Chicago will be one of the first cities in the country to fully reopen in a safe manner.
Currently, Illinois is in Phase 4 of its COVID-19 reopening plan, which includes restrictions on the maximum occupancy levels for restaurants, retail stores, and personal care businesses. During this phase, casinos in Illinois are limited to operating at 50% capacity.
Illinois casinos experienced two full closures during the pandemic, one in the spring of 2020 and another in the winter. For the most part, the 10 facilities have been operating at 25%-50% capacity.
If Illinois were to fully reopen by July 4, it would be the first time since early March 2020 that the casinos could operate at full capacity.
Pritzker suggested that Illinois could move into a “bridge phase” next week, one step before fully reopening.
Most capacity limits would be increased from 50% to 60%. While the state’s plan does not explicitly mention casinos, we should learn more about how the bridge phase will affect casino capacity once it is implemented.
Pritzker stated that they are constantly vigilant, closely watching the numbers. Despite this, they remain hopeful and believe that they are making progress in the right direction.
If Illinois moves into Phase 5 by July, the following 10 casinos will be allowed to reopen at full capacity:
- Argosy Casino Alton
- DraftKings at Casino Queen
- Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
- Harrah’s Joliet
- Harrah’s Metropolis
- Hollywood Casino Aurora
- Hollywood Casino Joliet
- Hotel & Casino Jumer’s
- Par-A-Dice Casino
- Rivers Casino
Pritzker ended mobile sports betting registration in Phase 4
Despite casinos being limited to operating at only 50% capacity, the Illinois governor decided to end mobile sports betting registration approximately a month ago.
Illinois sportsbooks seemed likely to continue offering mobile registration until casinos were fully reopened, with Pritzker repeatedly extending his executive order through the fall and winter.
In-person registration will continue unless new legislation is enacted in the near future.
Return of fans at Chicago sports stadiums
Right now, the Cubs and White Sox are allowing fans at 25% capacity. The Bulls and Blackhawks will begin permitting fans on May 7th.
The bridge phase plan suggests that spectator event capacity will increase to 60%. As a result, we will monitor the professional sports teams in Chicago to see if they can increase their capacity once this phase is reached.
When Illinois reaches Phase 5, sports stadiums will be permitted to reopen with full capacity.
The Bulls and Blackhawks do not have games scheduled for July, but the Cubs and White Sox will be playing, indicating a potential rise in fan turnout over the summer.
Reopening could benefit the football season by allowing fans back into Soldier Field for the Bears’ games in 2021 after playing the entire 2020 season without spectators.
As of now, there are no retail sportsbooks at sports venues in Illinois. However, DraftKings plans to open a retail sportsbook at Wrigley Field in the coming years.
Could this hurt Illinois online casino in negotiations?
Illinois legislators will be discussing gaming proposals over the next few weeks, with a focus on online casinos as a key topic of debate.
Legislation is being reviewed in both chambers of the Illinois legislature to legalize internet gaming. The Internet Gaming Act HB 3142 was discussed during last week’s Executive Committee meeting.
One reason to support online casinos is that they can help maintain the revenue of brick-and-mortar casinos during times of closure or limited capacity.
Advocates may suggest there are additional reasons to limit in-person gatherings in the future, but the timing for making such an argument is not ideal as Illinois is on the brink of fully reopening.
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