In the planning stages for decades, construction of new ramps, interchanges and roadways to allow access to O’Hare Airport from the west is now in plain view. The local casino that’s tucked in the city of Des Plaines’ southwest corner at Devon Avenue and River Road brings in hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the state and around $10 million annually to Des Plaines…Īnother project that will annually affect tens of millions of people not only from the suburbs and Chicago, but also the nation, is forging ahead. Rivers is digging in its heels to remain the most lucrative operation of its kind in Illinois. Opening of Bally’s on the former Chicago Tribune printing plant site will occur in a couple of years. So, it appears that Rivers is not shrinking from the challenge of going head-to-head with the planned new Bally’s casino in Chicago about 20 miles away. The changes also have the effect of keeping alive Rivers’ original intention of developing one or two hotels on the land. The current site of a large billboard will be moved where it will display messages electronically on three-sides. Those changes, which were quickly approved at Monday night’s Des Plaines City Council meeting, will result in better parking and landscaping and improved drives into and out of the property. Work will begin within the next few months on a number of changes on the 20-acres where Rivers Casino is located in Des Plaines.
