News
Who Needs a Casino?
January 10, 2011
| The Village of Rosemont broke ground last week on a new 200k SFentertainment district called The Park at Rosemont that will have almost everything a resident would want to do on a weekend: bowling, bars, music venues, a Muvico around the corner, and outdoor concert and farmers' market space. The one thing it won't have: a casino. |
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| The space at 9501 Devon Ave was a potential for Illinois' tenth andfinal casino license until 2008, when it was assigned down the street to Des Plaines. Still, late mayor Donald Stephens hiredSierra Group US to lease up the space to resemble a vibrant downtown area. Sierra CEO Marc Offit has already pre-leased about 90% of the space to Kings Bowling, Landsdowne Pub, and Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill, along with some other tenants he can't mention yet (hint: you'll be able to get drinks from around the world in Rosemont soon). The $40M project is adjacent to a 3,500-car parking garage, and Marc expects it will draw consumers from at least a 15-mile radius. |
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| The architect, Design Collective, made sure the space had a more urban feel with brick and exposed steel. Northern Builders is teaming up with DNR Rosemont to build the structures. The buildings will surround a park that's being used for ice skating this winter but will have several more purposes—from art shows to music venues—as it's built out. The project is meant to bring more consumers to the suburb, typically seen as a convention and business destination because of it's proximity to O'Hare. |
