Monday August 18, 2025

Need assistance paying your membership dues? Please contact Paula at the ILLBA office by email or call 312-967-7781.

Kennedy rehabilitation update: Week 22

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that the rehabilitation of the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94) from the Edens Expressway (I-94) junction to Ohio Street continued to progress the week of August 11. 

The following ramps are currently closed to accommodate ongoing bridge rehabilitation and ramp repairs: ​ ​ ​ ​ 

• Outbound Kennedy to Augusta Boulevard/Milwaukee Avenue, anticipated to reopen mid-October. ​ ​ ​ 
• North Avenue (Illinois 64) to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen early September. ​ ​ 
• Outbound Kennedy to Armitage Avenue, anticipated to reopen early September. ​ ​
•  ​ ​ Fullerton Avenue to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen mid-September. ​ ​ ​ ​ 
• Outbound Kennedy to Kimball Avenue, anticipated to reopen late August. ​ ​ ​ ​ 
• Addison Street to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen late August. 
• Outbound Kennedy to Pulaski Road/Irving Park Road (Illinois 19), anticipated to reopen late August. 

Additional ramp closures for varying durations will be required to complete the project, which remains on pace for an overall completion by Thanksgiving. Details, schedules and impacts to traffic will be shared in advance, closer to the individual closure dates. ​ ​ 

The reversible express lanes will remain open in the outbound direction, with two mainline outbound lanes closed at a time. The reversible mid-gate entrance and exits will remain closed. ​ ​​ ​ ​ 

Click here for more details, including ramp closures

City of Chicago Events and Traffic Restrictions

 Wrigley Field Transportation Restrictions Maps 2024 - click here

Soldier Field Transportation Restrictions 2025 - click here

Transportation Restrictions for Bally's Temporary Casino 2024 - click here

Uptown Entertainment District Transportation Restrictions Eff 12/22/23 - click here

Continued Closure Of Canal St. At Union Station Phase II Updates - click here

1st Ward Entertainment District Transportation Restrictions Fri & Sat (7:00pm – 4:00am CDT)

 Effective June 26, 2025 - click here

North Ave Beach Transportation Restrictions Friday, June 27, 2025 - Monday, September 1, 2025

(11:00am - 11:00pm CDT) - click here

NEW CDOT Fall Bridge Lift Schedule 2025, Begins September 27th - click here

McCormick Place Events Calendar

News You Can Use

An Opportunity Unlike Any Other for Operators to Attend Their First Show!

The NLA Scholarship Program is designed to enable new operators to attend the CD/NLA Fall Show in Dallas, Texas from October 25-28, 2025. These scholarships provide an unsurpassed business development opportunity for operators who have recently launched their companies and have never attended a CD/NLA event before.

What does the scholarship include?

• One (1) Full Show Pass to the 2025 CD/NLA Fall Show. ($549)
• Three (3) paid nights at host hotel, Gaylord Texan. ($837)
• One (1) year NLA membership if scholarship winner is not currently an NLA member. ($395+)
• Networking and education to grow your business (Priceless!)

The deadline to apply is September 9th, 2025.

Air Canada halts flight restart after union defies back-to-work order

Source: NBC News

Air Canada said Sunday it has suspended its plan to resume limited flights after the union representing its flight attendants told members to defy a federal order to return to work.

The airline now expects to restart operations Monday evening.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board directed Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to "resume their duties” by 2 p.m. ET Sunday after Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu imposed binding arbitration and extended the existing contract until a new agreement is reached.

Read more

Taylor Swift Concerts Drive Demand, Revenues to Destinations

Source: Recommend Magazine

Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour grossed more than $1 billion in 2024 and drew millions of “Swifties” to destinations all over the world to hear her music—but also to eat, drink, and play tourist during their visit.

A U.S. Travel Association report found that during the “Eras” tour, Taylor Swift fans spent an average of $1,300 each during their stay in U.S. host cities. “That amount of spending is on par with the Super Bowl, but this time it happened on 53 different nights in 20 different locations over the course of five months,” the report noted.

Read more

Bally’s completes initial public offering of Chicago casino shares

Source: Chicago Sun Times

A thousand Chicagoans now own slices of Bally’s future casino in River West.



The Rhode Island-based gambling corporation announced late Thursday that its initial public offering of roughly $250 million in Chicago casino shares is closed and registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nearly 1,800 investors picked up shares ranging from $250 to $25,000, including 1,573 “Illinois based shareholders” with 1,007 from Chicago.

Read more

With Bears' stadium focus now on Arlington Heights, what does that mean for Soldier Field?

Source: Chicago Sun TImes

The Bears appear determined to fulfill their decadeslong quest for a domed stadium in Arlington Heights even though they’re several first downs away from the legislative goal line, which raises the question: If the $8.8 billion NFL franchise does leave Chicago, what should become of Soldier Field?

Read more

Invest in Yourself and Your Financial Decisions

Reach your financial goals one step at a time

Join Enrich, a personal finance platform provided by the Illinois State Treasurer.

Read more

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”



- Martin Luther King, Jr.