Much of the debate at a committee hearing focused on criticism leveled by downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, who said the city was rushing through a decision that could increase crime and traffic.
Chicago Tribune Freedom Center property, right, along Chicago Avenue between the Chicago River and Halsted Street, on March 22, 2022.
A dog treat truck sets up at A. Montgomery Ward Park in the River North neighborhood directly across the river from the proposed casino site, May 4, 2022. Chicago is banking on a casino to generate $200 million in annual tax revenue to help deal with massive and expanding holes in its public pension funds, which the Civic Federation last year called “severely underfunded.”
Many residents in the River West and River North areas are lining up in opposition. In addition to worries that the casino would bring more crime and traffic to the area and hurt property values, some detractors are angered about an approval process they say is moving too quickly. The special casino committee only met once before Lightfoot announced which of the three finalists’ proposals she would advance.
The Medinah Temple building, a roughly 130,000-square-foot structure at 600 N. Wabash Ave., has been vacant for almost two years after retail chain Macy’sits Bloomingdale’s store out of the site. Chicago developer Friedman Properties, a mainstay in River North real estate, is its current owner.
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