Rivers 78 hopes to open its temporary casino by 2023 and its permanent facility by the end of 2025. “Poverty breeds crime … 39,000 jobs is what drives crime down,” Ehimwenman said. Nosa Ehimwenman, president & CEO of Bowa Construction, a South Side minority-owned firm that is serving as general contractor of the entertainment district at The 78, said jobs created by the development would be the best antidote to crime. “If you don’t listen to our comments about the design and how it affects neighboring communities, how are you going to address our real concerns: problem gambling, congestion, impact on small businesses.” “I have a new name for it: the Great Wall against Chinatown,” Wu said. That sentiment was echoed by a number of residents who spoke at Thursday’s meeting.ĭavid Wu, a Chinatown resident and former president of the Ping Tom Park Advisory Council, expressed disappointment that the proposed casino would tower over his community. Last month, The 78 Community Advisory Council, a group of neighborhood representatives appointed by Lightfoot, released a survey that found 78% of nearly 400 area respondents were “unsupportive” of the proposed casino, citing concerns about crime, traffic and the character of the development. “It is the engine that transforms this giant dirt lot today into a vibrant neighborhood.” “We’re creating an entire neighborhood from the ground up with a casino already integrated from the beginning,” Bailey said Thursday.

He said the casino, which represents just 2% of the total square footage of The 78, will help drive the broader development. The facility is slated to open on the south end of The 78 by 2024.Ĭurt Bailey, president of Related Midwest, called The 78 a “transformational” development that will bring tourists, commerce and 39,000 jobs to the South Side.

The 78 has already landed the Discovery Partners Institute, a University of Illinois-led initiative building a 500,000-square-foot innovation hub to develop Chicago tech talent. The 78 development is shown south of Roosevelt Road and east of the Chicago River March 22, 2022, in Chicago.

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