Demolition work on the historic Chicago Tribune’s Freedom Center began Tuesday, marking the commencement of the transformation of the site into the new Bally’s casino and hotel complex, a move that has been met with both anticipation and scrutiny from local communities and policymakers alike with Block Club Chicago reporting the teardown could take up to five months, crews on-site working tirelessly 12 hours a day, seven days a week, without resorts to explosives, instead relying on excavators and manual handwork for demolition according to statements by city officials.
The ambitious Bally's development, located at the intersection of Halsted Street and Chicago Avenue, is poised to become a significant landmark, bringing with it a $1.7 billion investment that signals robust economic activity. The complex will feature a 500-room hotel tower, a 3,000-seat theater, and multiple dining establishments, and is expected to create around 3,000 construction jobs during its development phase and another 3,000 permanent positions upon completion, per information shared by CBS News Chicago.
Meanwhile, Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), underscored the personal stakes involved, emphasizing the importance of the project in terms of local employment and echoing the significance of inclusivity by saying, "If my folks don't eat, nobody eat. So if Cabrini Green people don't get to work on this site, there will be no more development in the 27th Ward until I'm satisfied," according to a CBS News Chicago interview.
With demolition set between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily, to comply with the Chicago Noise Ordinance, environmental precautions have been stipulated to mitigate dust and debris, as outlined by Block Club Chicago.
