Pro-Restaurant Candidates, Casino Update, B2B Grants Awarded

Help Us Support Pro-Restaurant Candidates at the Annual Restaurant Show Political Reception

Join the growing list of supporters attending the Annual Restaurant Show Political Reception on Monday, May 23 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Hubbard Inn. This annual event helps bolster our efforts to support candidates and issues that are favorable to the hospitality industry.

Click here to download the event invitation. The host committee is currently in formation.

To make a contribution online, click here. To RSVP and be included in the list of event supporters, please contact Matt Quinn.

Mayor Lightfoot Announces Bally’s at Tribune Publishing Center as Selected Proposal for Chicago’s Sole Casino License

Today, Mayor Lightfoot announced that the City has selected Bally’s Corporation to be the recipient of its sole casino license and the developer to create a world-class casino-resort and entertainment experience in Chicago on the site of the Tribune Publishing Center. The recommendation report is available here.  

IRA President & CEO Sam Toia, IRA Chairman Sam Sanchez of Third Coast Hospitality, IRA Board member Erick Williams of Virtue, and IRA member Israel Idonije of Impact House attended the announcement.

"A world-class casino in Chicago is now one step closer to reality," said IRA President & CEO Sam Toia. "We are thrilled that Bally's will be working with local restaurants to highlight our renowned culinary scene. This attraction will help make Chicago an even bigger draw for domestic and international travelers, which will greatly benefit our hospitality community."

Click here to read more.

DCEO Announces $250M in Back to Business Grants Awarded

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) have announced that the full $250 million in relief funds have been granted through the Back to Business (B2B) program.

This concludes the program, providing nearly 6,500 grants to small businesses in over 475 cities and more than 90 counties across the state, with 96 percent of awards delivered to businesses in disproportionately impacted communities or in the hardest-hit industries. 61 percent of awards were granted to hard-hit industries, including restaurants and taverns, hotels, arts organizations, and salons.

A list of Illinois B2B grantees can be found here. Click here to read the full announcement.

See You Next Week at Meet the Experts

There's still time to register to attend the IRA's most popular networking event of the year - Meet The Experts, hosted in partnership with the Cook County Small Business Assistance Program and Title Sponsors CliftonLarsonAllen, Gordon Food Service, Taft Law.

On Wednesday, May 11 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Untitled Supper Club, this event offers restaurant and hospitality operators the opportunity to connect one-on-one with some of the biggest restaurateurs in the business, plus experts in HR, public relations, law, accounting, licensing, insurance, and more.

Registration is complimentary. Vendors and service providers are unable to sign up for dedicated time with experts, but are welcome and encouraged to join this premier networking event.

Click here to register. For more information about the event, contact IRA Director of Sales & Marketing Christine DeSousa.

Chicago Launches Democratic National Convention Bid

Earlier this week, Chicago formally announced an effort to bring the Democratic National Convention to Chicago in 2024. The bid, due May 27, will tout the proximity of hotels to convention venues, restaurants and tourist spots, and the multiple spaces for events in addition to the United Center. The convention will be sometime during the 2024 summer, with the date not set.

“The prospect of hosting the 2024 Democratic National Convention is incredibly exciting for restaurants across our 77 communities,” said Sam Toia, IRA President & CEO. “Having delegations from around the country experience our world-class restaurants, hotels, museums and attractions would be an economic boom for the city. There's no better location for the DNC than Chicago, the culinary capital of the United States."

Click here to read more from Chicago Sun-Times.

Block Club on Federal Workers Returning to The Loop

Block Club Chicago recently covered how federal workers have begun returning to downtown offices - and how restaurateurs are excited to welcome back lunchtime crowds after the pandemic kept many people home for the past two years.

There are more than 17,000 federal workers spread out across 38 agencies in the city, according to the United States Government Services Administration. The United States Department of Labor, which has offices in the John C. Kluczynski and 11 West Quincy Court buildings, is the latest agency to bring workers back, allowing 100 percent occupancy in its offices as of this week, a spokesperson said.

Click here to read more.

Free Smoking Cessation Program Available to Illinois Businesses