The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which owns the complex, is not interested in repurposing any of the buildings into a casino, the Tribune reports, and anyway, the Lakeside Center exhibition hall that was the key to one of the proposals, from Rivers Chicago, is already fully booked. The two McCormick Place proposals are out. The semifinalists plan to open temporary casinos in 2023 or 2024 and be permanently established by late 2025 or early 2026.

All three proposals include restaurants, hotels, theaters, concert venues, and location-specific amenities, such as boat docks. Instead of choosing one proposal and moving ahead as expected, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday, March 22, that she had narrowed down the five proposals that were submitted in October to a shortlist of three, two in the South Loop and one in River West.įacing off in the semis, reports the Tribune, will be developer Rivers Casinos and Rush Street Gaming’s proposal for a $1.6 billion casino at the 78, a multi-use development going up at Clark Street and Roosevelt Road Hard Rock’s $1.74 billion proposal for One Central, a new development northwest of Soldier Field and Bally’s plan to demolish the Tribune’s Freedom Center printing plant at Chicago and Halsted and build a $1.74 billion complex on the same spot. The Chicago casino project has reached its own version of March Madness semifinals.

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