Good afternoon, and happy Friday! The unmistakable buzz that signals the beginning of the end of summer has arrived in Chicago. Here’s what you need to know today.
1. Bally’s says the company has secured financing for a refreshed Chicago casino plan
After months of criticism over an $800 million funding gap, Bally’s said it locked up $940 million in construction financing that’ll build out a 34-story hotel now slated for Ohio Street and the Chicago River, my colleague Mitchell Armentrout reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The company said it will complete the tower in a single phase instead of the two-phase approach initially planned — and the entire gambling campus at 777 W. Chicago Ave. will be completed on schedule by September 2026.
The tower was originally planned for Chicago Avenue and the river until designers realized city water mains would be damaged.
Mayor Brandon Johnson last month cast doubt on the Bally’s project, but his office said today it was “pleased with this development...We look forward to reviewing the updated plans and proceeding through the review process with the Department of Planning and Development.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
2. Millennium Park’s Crown Fountain has been watching over Chicago for 20 years
The two LED video-screen towers showcase more than 1,000 faces that portray the city’s diverse cultural makeup, my colleague Mitch Dudek reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The only complete list of participants is kept in a file cabinet at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, whose faculty and staff were tapped to find and film the faces that would appear on the fountain.
The Sun-Times tracked down some of the people who posed for the photos, including Homer Bryant, the founder of the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center, whose students have included Michelle Obama, her two daughters and Lady Gaga.
The creator, Spanish architect Jaume Plensa, said he has a message for Chicago: “My only dream is that people continue to enjoy the piece without any prejudice, just like it is, a place of freedom. My piece should not be an homage to architecture but an homage to people who are really making a city. And I decided on the number 1,000 because, I guess, it was a really nice number.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Mayor Johnson rejects cuts in CPS’ proposed budget meant to fill a $500 million deficit
Johnson’s disapproval aligns with the Chicago Teachers Union, which backed his mayoral campaign and this week sharply criticized CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’s budget as “short-sighted.”
Martinez was appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Johnson opted to keep him on. It is highly unusual for the mayor to suggest he is unhappy with the school district’s budget after it is presented to the public, my colleagues Sarah Karp and Nader Issa report.
The Board of Education is expected to consider the budget proposal at its monthly meeting July 25. By law, CPS must pass a balanced budget. [WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times]
An owner and an employee at Flee Club are accused of knowingly purchasing stolen items and reselling them to customers, Emmanuel Camarillo reports for the Chicago Sun-Times. Celebrities like Lil Baby, Polo G and Jeremih have visited the store.
The store is not an authorized dealer for the suspected stolen items, and investigators are working with the manufacturers to determine their authenticity, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.
Authorities also said store representatives allegedly instructed individuals to steal specific apparel, shoes and fragrances. [Chicago Sun-Times]
The sweeping musical at Chicago Shakespeare Theater strives to be both epic and intimate in its staging of the classic J.R.R. Tolkien novels, WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis writes.
Bringing the magic of an epic, fantasy cult-classic to stage without CGI, expansive landscapes or sweeping orchestral scores takes several tricks of the theater, from dance and creative musical staging to complex battle choreography, large puppetry and holographic projections.
Director Paul Hart told WBEZ wanted to make an immediate, immersive connection with the audience, effectively making the people in the seats an ensemble member and making everyone hobbits — Tolkien’s fictional race of people about half the size of a human. He also leaned into actors playing live instruments.
The show opens July 19 and is set to run through Sept. 1. [WBEZ]
Here’s what else is happening
- Who is backing President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign? This list keeps track. [NPR]
- AT&T says hackers stole 2022 call and text data from “nearly all” of the company’s cell phone customers. [NPR]
- Extreme heat is forecasted to move into the Midwest by early next week. [New York Times]
- These “Picasso”s prompted a gender war at an Australian gallery. Now the curator says she painted them. [AP]
Oh, and one more thing …
Starting this weekend, the elaborate speaker trellis at the Pritzker Pavilion will pipe an inventive sound installation created by artists from around the world.
Original works that “mesh the urban environment with the natural one” will play intermittently and before some concerts at the venue, WBEZ contributor Mark Guarino writes.
“Urban+Nature Sonic Pavilion” is a 90-minute soundscape that will transform wildlife sounds, from cicadas to birds, into aural compositions. [WBEZ]
And that trellis-like roof over the lawn allows the open-air venue to sound like an indoor concert, Dennis Rodkin reports for the Reset series What’s That Building?. [WBEZ]
Tell me something good …
It’s no surprise Pizza Hut’s new tavern style isn’t as good as our local options. So I’m wondering, what’s your favorite place to get tavern-style pizza in the Chicago area?
John writes:
“I am very proud of the tavern pizza scene in Chicagoland and will not profess to say my suggestion is the best. I would love to try them all but a fav is in my hometown Waukegan. Stop in at Quonset Pizza and order cheese & sausage—extra crispy please. Don’t forget a side of pepperoncinis!”
Steven writes:
“Barnaby’s in Northbrook has been around for decades. We get our pizza from there at least once a month. Great crust!”
Jay writes:
“Phil’s Pizza in Bridgeport is hands down the best thin crust pizza in town! But be prepared: the ambience gives a whole new meaning to “no frills,” and the same old disappointing meaning to no beer (or any other alcohol). I know, what’s up with that, right? But great for takeout (I honestly don’t think anyone ever eats there, although there are tables). Those quirky drawbacks aside, this is the best tavern style pizza I’ve had in Chicago.”
And Mary writes:
“My favorite pizza place for tavern style pizza (and a lot of other great food and drink options) is Pizzeria Aroma in Edgewater.
They used to be a small store front on Berwyn, but have moved up the street on Broadway to a more formal, but totally approachable restaurant space.
Consistently delicious pizza. Good quality ingredients. Local business. Fantastic for take out and dine in. It’s the pizza place we always return to, and the place my visiting sister always looks forward to. Open every day.”
Thanks for all the responses this week! I’m sorry I couldn’t include all of them, but I have a great list of places to try (and maybe an excuse to eat pizza even more often now).
