McCasino Place: Two Aldermen Want Gambling on Olympics Site
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Not even letting the body get cold!
With the DOA Olympic bid barely in the ground, two Chicago aldermen are floating the idea of putting a casino and theater complex in the spot where Chicago hoped to place an Olympics village for the 2016 games.
Alds. Richard Mell, 33rd, and George Cardenas, 12th, argue the land at the near South Side site of the abandoned Michael Reese hospital is ripe for development -- but they haven't run the idea past Daley.
“The idea of an entertainment complex would be one way to raise revenues without further taxing the citizens and it would help McCormick Place compete with Las Vegas and other convention cities,” Mell told the Chicago Tribune.
Daley has tried to bring casino gambling to the city before, but with mixed success.
Mell also says the site could boast a theater for "big-name entertainment" and a huge sports bar with dozens of TVs.
A spokesperson from Daley's office had no comment.
Read the full story at ChicagoTribune.com.
Posted Thursday, Oct 8, 2009 - 5:14 PM CST
