News
VICE (AND WINDY) CITY
May 31, 2011
| If you like gambling and fighting, then today's issue is for you. (We threw in a little volunteer work at the end for atonement). First, the construction pros from Development Management Associates gave us a sneak peak at the new Rivers Casino set to open in late July in Des Plaines. | |
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| The 143k SF casino on River Road just west of Higgins will have 1,200 gambling positions; 800 will be slot machines. (The other gambling positions include begging for mercy, hands raised in victory, denial, and self-actualization.) DMA's Charles Porter says up to 250 people are working on building out the casino and its restaurants, venues, and parking garage. It could be the country's first LEED Gold casino, including skylights and amber-tinted windows, elements not often found in a gambling venue. Also on tap:Hugo's Frog Bar and the Canopy Buffet (below). | |
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| Illinois outlawed smoking indoors a few years ago, creating a special challenge for casino designers, who have a heavy-smoking clientele. So DMA built a heated, ventilated smoking patio adjacent to the 43k SF gambling floor and The Cube, an upscale sports bar and venue within the casino. The parking structure will have special features like LED-lighting and a red or green light hanging above each of the 1,600 parking spaces to tell customers if the space is occupied. As for the water underneath the gaming floor? DMA built a six-inch deep pool below the slot machine electronics to satisfy the state minimum. In other news, the State House of Representatives passed a measure yesterday to allow more casinos in Illinois, so maybe we'll be seeing more pictures like these in the future. |
