Will County Gazette

Bob O’Dekirk , Mayor of the City of Joliet, said The Joliet City Council has approved plans for the development of the new, 15-acre Hollywood Casino Joliet at Rock Run Crossings. on Feb 22nd.

“There was a serious attempt to get Hollywood to leave Joliet and move to other cities,” O’Dekirk said.

Penn Entertainment said in October that it wanted to start construction on the new casino by late this year when it announced the decision to relocate to Rock Run Crossings. With an estimated price-tag of $185 million, the project that includes a 570-unit apartment complex is expected to go under construction this year.

The casino and apartments fit into the multi-use development plan to create a place to live, work, shop and play within the 309-acre development located near the crossing of Interstates 55 and 80 that developer Cullinan Properties has described as a “super-regional” attraction because of its potential to draw people from Chicago to central Illinois.

In his State of the City speech, Mayor Bob O’Dekirk stressed the importance of the Rock Run Crossings site, saying it may have kept Hollywood Casino in Joliet and adding "there was a serious attempt to get Hollywood to leave Joliet and move to other cities."