Chicago Casino Boom and Afternoon Overview

Good afternoon, Chicago.

As construction on the 34-story Bally’s Chicago hotel steadily rises skyward over the Ohio Street feeder ramp, things are looking up for the region’s casinos in 2026 amid a building boom that is reshaping the gambling landscape.

Chicago-area casinos are coming off a big year in 2025, as three new facilities boosted revenue and brought millions of additional players to the tables and slot machines.

Here’s what else is happening today.

Lori Lightfoot’s ICE Accountability Project

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has launched the ICE Accountability Project to document immigration agents.

Lori Lightfoot said residents could send videos, audio, photos or other information to a dedicated reporting platform. The accounts will be published on the website and serve as a centralized, permanent archive that law enforcement, elected officials, journalists and others can refer to, she said.

More Top News Stories

  • Residents, activists and officials are demanding that the police oversight board open an inquiry into the Chicago Police Department’s actions during the Midway Blitz.
  • Illinois and four other states have sued the Trump administration over frozen child care funds.
  • Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a sweeping Illinois energy law boosting batteries and renewables that Republican lawmakers opposed.

Business and Development Highlights

In Northwest Indiana, the Hobart City Council has approved three resolutions allowing Amazon Data Services to proceed with its data center plans, despite pleas from dozens of residents who asked officials to table action.

Other notable business developments include a sports dome project west of Brookside Marketplace moving forward in Tinley Park, one of three such domes planned in the area, and preparations for the upcoming tax season as residents get ready to begin filing.

Sports and Entertainment Roundup

Amazon’s Prime Video is carrying the playoff game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, giving fans a streaming option for the wild-card round matchup.

In hockey, Connor Bedard is set to play tonight for the Chicago Blackhawks after missing 12 games with a separated shoulder. College football news includes transfer portal activity, with wide receiver Alex Perry and outside linebacker Will Holmes among Illinois signees.

On the entertainment front, an exhibit titled Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell will debut at the Griffin MSI, showcasing the costume designer’s work, including his imaginative designs for the witches of Oz.

Additional arts and culture stories include a Broadway opening for the once-storefront theater curiosity Bug and Naperville’s search for co-chairs to help plan the city’s 200th anniversary celebration.

National and International Developments

Videos of a Minnesota shooting involving an ICE officer are challenging the administration’s narrative, and policing experts are questioning the tactics used. President Donald Trump said in a post on social media that the ICE officer shot the driver in self-defense and described the driver as having viciously run over the officer, though it is unclear in the videos whether the car makes contact.

From around the world, coverage includes Venezuelans struggling with a crumbling economy even as Trump promises a national renaissance, and comments from Iran’s supreme leader signaling a potential crackdown as protesters are accused of ruining their own streets in support of Trump.