Demolition work underway at Bally’s Casino’s new location
Demolition began on the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center to make way for the new Bally’s Casino in the Fulton River District. The plan for the new casino includes a 500-room hotel, a theater, restaurants and a waterfront promenade.
CHICAGO – The iconic Chicago Tribune Freedom Center was demolished on Tuesday to make way for Bally’s new casino project.
Representatives from Bally’s, the city and the community met for a ceremonial demolition before the excavators began the actual work.
The Halsted property between Grand and Chicago Avenues is slated to be transformed into a $1.7 billion entertainment complex that includes a 34-story, 500-room hotel tower, a Bally’s casino, a park, a theater, restaurants and a waterfront promenade. The project is expected to create 3,000 construction jobs and another 3,000 jobs at the casino.
“We are really excited to create something here that will be a reflection of Chicago as a whole,” said Soo Kim, chairman of Bally’s Corporation. “I think what we have planned for you is just fantastic.”
Demolition work begins on Bally’s new casino in Chicago
The Tribune’s former publishing site is being demolished to make way for Bally’s permanent Chicago casino in the Fulton River District. Bally plans to leave its temporary River North location when the project is completed in a few years.
City Councilman Walter Burnett Jr. called the project a personal endeavor and said it was his duty to ensure that people in his neighborhood benefit from the prosperity it would bring.
The casino is scheduled to open in fall 2026, and demolition is expected to take five months.
Mayor Johnson said in a statement that the project is one of the largest economic investments in Chicago.
