Big casino fire outside Chicago

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Showing it on Fox news.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1487502,w-fire-casino-empress-joliet-032009.article

Fire reported at Empress Casino in Joliet

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<!-- Article Publish Date -->
March 20, 2009

<!-- Article By Line --> FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --> <!-- BlogBurst ContentStart --> Dark smoke can be seen rising from the roof of the Empress Casino in southwst suburban Joliet on Friday morning.Fire trucks, police and ambulance personnel are on the scene at 2300 Empress Drive, just off U.S. 6 after a fire was reported in the kitchen of the facility.
A spokeswoman for the Joliet Fire Dept. said the fire was reported in a section of the casino which is under construction, but had no further details.
Early dispatch reports indicate the kitchen fire has spread to the ceiling and that a second fire was burning in a building at Barber Court and Black Road, where the roof has reportedly collapsed.
The spokeswoman had no reports of injuries as of 10:30 a.m

 

[zeeman]

I know it's mentioned that it started from the kitchen, but what are the chances this is arson. You remember when Arlington Park burnt down. Duchossios was responsible for that fire, so he could rebuild his palace. Anytime a gambling establishment burns down Id be suspicious. I don't think Joliet was doing that well.

 

[G.MONEY]

Well not sure how bad it is or was, But it is rather Nasty there. I know the original owners/investors and they mad a killing when they sold it...Bad economy and too many places to play now.

 

[valium]

Well not sure how bad it is or was, But it is rather Nasty there. I know the original owners/investors and they mad a killing when they sold it...Bad economy and too many places to play now.

G Money, you talking about Bill McEnery?
Whats funny is when they were trying to get investors for that first illinois boat many people turned them down. The reason was many thought land based casinos were coming soon and that would put the river boats out of business.
Of course land based never came and that first boat, like you said made hundreds of millions. After that investors lined up by the thousands to invest in the other boats that came after the Empress. Only those who were politically juiced in got to invest.
Another thing when those first boats opened they charged as much as 30 dollars to get in the door and people were lined up to pay. Talk about a printing press to make money. WOW!

 

[G.MONEY]

g money, you talking about bill mcenery?
Whats funny is when they were trying to get investors for that first illinois boat many people turned them down. The reason was many thought land based casinos were coming soon and that would put the river boats out of business.
Of course land based never came and that first boat, like you said made hundreds of millions. After that investors lined up by the thousands to invest in the other boats that came after the empress. Only those who were politically juiced in got to invest.
Another thing when those first boats opened they charged as much as 30 dollars to get in the door and people were lined up to pay. Talk about a printing press to make money. Wow!

yes

 

[valium]

Bill thought he was doing very well with the Gas City's until he got into the casino gambling business. The casino boats made the gas stations look like minimum wage earnings.

 

[5teamparlay]

Here is a SUN TIMES PICTURE...

i lost a boatload at this joint, they are getting theirs... j/k

 

[G.MONEY]

Bill thought he was doing very well with the Gas City's until he got into the casino gambling business. The casino boats made the gas stations look like minimum wage earnings.

Yes one of those guys that everything he touches works out...He was unsure at the time and then it was like having your own printing press for money

 

[5teamparlay]

chicagotribune.com

Empress employees helping out while out of work

Empress employees volunteer as casino rebuilds post-fire

By Gerry Smith
TRIBUNE REPORTER
March 29, 2009

After a massive fire destroyed much of the Egyptian-themed entrance building at the Empress Casino in Joliet this month, hundreds of casino employees suddenly had a lot of free time on their hands.

So they have started volunteering.

"It's time for us to give back to the community that has supported us for all these years," said Marianna Heredia, a casino dealer who on Saturday was one of about a dozen Empress employees helping students attending a basketball clinic at Joliet Central High School.

The casino has about 850 employees who have been unable to work since the March 20 fire.

The employees can afford to volunteer because Penn National Gaming, which runs the casino, will continue to pay them for at least another 90 days, plus pay them half of their reported tips and continue their health benefits. Empress' general manager, Frank Quigley, said last week he hoped the casino would reopen in less than three months.

No one was injured in the fire, which officials say may have been sparked by welders working on a kitchen duct system. The blaze was mainly contained to a pavilion area, which was being built as part of a $50 million renovation. The main casino wasn't heavily damaged. Joliet fire officials said an early estimate of damage is $340 million.

The Empress already had a strong relationship with the community, said Stan Smith, an executive with the Unity Community Development Corp., which sponsored Saturday's basketball clinic featuring members of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.

Tax revenue from the casino has helped finance numerous city attractions, as well as social-service providers like Big Brothers Big Sisters and United Cerebral Palsy.

Empress employees have volunteered in the community before, Smith said, but since the fire, they now offer more manpower.

"Instead of 15 volunteers, Empress can give us 40," he said.

While the casino is being rebuilt, volunteering seemed natural, Heredia said.

"This is our customer base, these are our people," Heredia said. "Why not help out in your own backyard first?"

Next week, Empress employees will do landscaping at the Joliet Area Community Hospice center.

gfsmith@tribune.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

[5teamparlay]

Empress GM: casino will reopen 'as soon as possible'
<!--p--><!-- Article Publsih Date -->

April 3, 2009

<!-- Article By Line -->By JOHN G. BROKOPP The Gambler
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Fire may have destroyed the pavilion at Empress Joliet Casino & Hotel, but the gaming barge was completely spared by the flames, something for which the property's general manager, Frank Quigley, is extremely grateful.
"Once the firefighters realized the pavilion was going to be a loss, they shifted to protecting the barge and they did an outstanding job," Quigley said. "Every report that I have gotten back from there so far indicates there is no damage to the casino."
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- start sidebar --><!-- begin poll --><!-- end poll --><!-- Fact box starts here -->
HOLLYWOOD CASINO AURORA: The regular Wednesday Texas Hold'em No Limit Poker Tournaments will resume at Hollywood on April 15. For a $160 entry fee, players receive $2,500 in tournament chips. Blinds start at $25 and $50. Ten dollars from each entry fee goes into the prize pool for the Tournament of Champions to be held Oct. 18. Call 630-801-7471.
GRAND VICTORIA ELGIN: The poker room will expand from six to nine tables sometime this month. Fans of no-limit Texas Hold'em at the Grand Vic enjoy the unusual perk of earning comp dollars for their play by presenting their Club Victoria player's club card. Those comp dollars may be used to purchase sandwiches and other snacks.
HARRAH'S JOLIET: The "Freediculous Spring Clearance Blow-Out" will be held April 5. Total Rewards players club members will be able to choose a gift from the casino's prize closet 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Players who earn 100 base reward credits that day can return before 8:30 p.m. to select a second gift. On April 10 from 8 a.m. to 6 a.m., Harrah's will pay the state taxes for everyone who hits a hand-paid jackpot of $1,200 or more. EMPRESS JOLIET: In the wake of the fire, guests who are NOW player's club members may redeem their April direct mail coupons Hollywood Casino Aurora with membership in Club Hollywood. Players may only redeem one Hollywood or one Empress offer per person, per day. Empress customers may also pay markers and redeem slot ticket vouchers and gaming table chips at Hollywood through April 20.


<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Re-opening the casino operation has become Quigley's top priority now that the $50-million renovation of the pavilion, the first phase of which was set to open June 1, went up in flames.
"Our goal is to get that done no later than 90 days. However, I want to qualify that by saying we'll get it done as soon as possible," he said. "We've got so much to do and figure out. There's the reality of what happened here, which was significant."
The reality is tons of rubble which must be cleared away, after which a design plan must be formulated to bring people to and from the casino in an efficient manner, something which Quigley and his team are already working on.
"We did a very good job of creating a tunnel for our (pavilion) project that took customers through the demolished area into the casino operation," he said. "Our idea right now is to do that same concept and bring it all the way out to the parking lot.
"Whatever we decide to do long term with the pavilion, we could actually build over (the tunnel) and move it around if necessary so that we could still transport customers in and out of our property and continue to build a brand-new pavilion."
The ongoing renovation at Empress wasn't a total loss because they were also in the process of building a new VIP lounge and high-end gaming area in a large area of casino space on the barge that was formerly called the Empress Room. Included in the project was a kitchen to service the VIP lounge.
"We have a very roomy casino, so we'll be able to consolidate and have more room to put some food outlets on the barge," Quigley said. "We don't know what that will be yet, but we're brainstorming those ideas right now. The good news is we'll have the kitchen facility out there to do it, and we believe we could have that kitchen facility finished within a couple months."
Contrary to early reports, not all of the offices occupied by Empress Casino executives escaped damage. Some were completely destroyed, which struck a very personal chord with Quigley.
"Our chef had books with his own personal recipes handed down through generations that were lost," he revealed. "Our director of facilities had an incredible sports memorabilia collection that is gone."
It's difficult to look at the bright side with a tragedy of this magnitude so recent, but Quigley is already looking ahead to when a completely new Empress will rise from the ashes.
"It was an old property and needed to have a face-lift," he said. "We had a great thing going on with the renovation. However, we weren't going to get everything we wanted to get in that first $50 million project. When the smoke clears this property is going to be magnificent."

 

[5teamparlay]

chicagotribune.com

Reborn Empress Casino in Joliet gives media a sneak peek

Fire closed casino in March

Tribune staff report
June 12, 2009
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<NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
Two weeks before the Empress Casino in Joliet is scheduled to reopen, officials Thursday gave local media a tour of the renovated casino.

The casino was forced to close after the March 20 fire, which officials believe was sparked by a welder working on ducts near the kitchen. The blaze destroyed the Empress' pavilion.

During the tour, Empress General Manager Frank Quigley said the three-month closing allowed work crews to speed up improvements on the casino floor.

"We were able to do it all at once with no disruptions to customers at all," he said, noting the original plan was to shut down sections of the casino one at a time until the renovations were complete.

Casino guests will get their first look at the improvements on June 25, when the casino reopens. The Egyptian-themed decor has been replaced with contemporary lighting, carpet and wall finishes. New gaming tables and a dedicated poker area take up a section of the first floor.

Other new features include a high-stakes gaming area and lounge reserved for VIPs.

Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
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[5teamparlay]

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/1639604,Empress-reopening-JO062509.article#

Thousands welcome Empress reopening

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<!--p--><!-- Article Publsih Date -->
June 26, 2009

<!-- Article By Line -->By JOE HOSEY jhosey@scn1.com
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->JOLIET — The Empress Casino took a mighty blow when a raging fire sent it down for nearly 100 days, but it got off the canvas and was up and running Thursday morning.
Thousands flooded into the Empress' new and improved gaming floor, and customers were pleased with the casino's look and feel.
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- start sidebar -->» Click to enlarge image
Jenny Goremski gets a hug and a kiss from Empress employee Darlene Phillips as Goremski was the first person into the new Empress Casino. Goremski was a regular before the March fire closed the Empress.
(John Patsch/Staff Photographer)

<!--p-->» Click to enlarge image
Nancy Bernark of Channahon enjoys the slots during the reopening of the Empress Casino.
(John Patsch/Staff Photographer)

<!--p-->» Click to enlarge image
Donna Merritt, Kristy Graybow, Arlene Whilhelmi, and Pat Lannencell (from left) arrived at the Empress Casino at 6 am to be sure that they were first in line for the reopening. They waited outside until they were let onto the property at 8:30 a.m.
(John Patsch/Staff Photographer)

<!--p-->» Click to enlarge image
Traffic was backed up on Houbolt Road from I-80 to the Empress Casino entrance in Joliet Wednesday. Traffic was also backed up on Larkin Avenue heading onto I-80.
(John Patsch/Staff Photographer)

<!--p--><!-- begin poll --><!-- end poll -->RELATED STORIES
• Photos: Empress Casino reopens
• Story: Empress ready for business
• Photos: Empress fire
• Online: Empress Casino
<!-- Fact box starts here -->
<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->"It's much more convenient than going to Indiana," said Jack Merle of Joliet, who was there with his wife, Luana Merle.
"We wanted to come out and see the new Empress," Luana said. "Have to go to the grand opening."
So she went, as did nearly every elected official around. They were joined by a crowd of customers, some just curious and others wanting to get back inside their favorite casino to do some gambling.
Some arrived as early as 6 a.m. to line up for the 10:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting.
"You can't say they didn't have first choice for the hottest machine," said city Councilman Thomas Giarante.
'Blessing in disguise'
Speaking before the ribbon-cutting, Empress Vice President and General Manager Frank Quigley recalled hearing the alarms the day of the March 20 fire. At the time, he was optimistic the casino might be closed for an hour or so, then maybe only until evening, then possibly through the night.
But while the fire proved more damaging than he first feared, it did allow the Empress to overhaul its facility, a task its executives were already planning to undertake, though on a slower schedule.
And the project appeared to be a smashing success.
"This is fantastic," said city Councilwoman Jan Quillman. "This is like the phoenix coming out of the ashes and really, a blessing in disguise."
Quillman called the Empress "bigger and better than ever."
2011 plan
Just prior to the ribbon-cutting that cleared the way for eager customers to get into the casino, Tim Wilmott, chief operating officer of Empress-owner Penn National Gaming, unveiled an artist's rendition of what the casino might look like no later than 2011.
The crowd seemed pleased with this vision of Joliet's gambling future. Wilmott said the plans for the overhaul would be formalized in the coming months.
But the current incarnation of the Empress was just fine for Jenni Golembeski. The Westchester woman said she started going to the Empress soon after it opened, and she obviously missed the place while it was closed down.
"I'm so happy to be here today and I'm thrilled to be back with my family," said Golembeski, who was presented with a bouquet by casino staff when she walked in.
"This is my family. It's like coming home to my family," she said of the Empress. "It's just a great place to come for a day of fun."

 

[5teamparlay]

http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainme...cle_71a44cc2-fb21-56a0-8f29-193d474799ca.html

OFFBEAT: Joliet Empress Casino unveiling new name, branding and theme Dec. 22
By Philip Potempa philip.potempa@nwi.com, 219.852.4327 nwi.com | Posted: Saturday, November 27, 2010 12:00 am

I'm told the "Hollywood-style" makeover at Empress Casino Joliet is almost complete.
And on Dec. 22, Joliet's premier casino will debut its new $65 million entertainment pavilion and rebranding as Hollywood Casino Joliet.
Its sister property, which I often write about, is the Hollywood Casino Aurora, in Aurora, Ill.
Reflecting the classic style and glamor of 1930s art deco Hollywood, complemented by modern video imagery technology, the entertainment pavilion will house the Final Cut Steakhouse and Piano Bar, the Epic Buffet, a Hollywood Stadium Sports Bar (which will open February 2011) and the Rodeo Drive Gift Shop.
The pavilion will feature a new exterior design to keep with the classic Hollywood theme and guests will enter the facility via the porte cochere valet parking area or the entranceway that now leads from the casino's self-park garage.
The pavilion will be graced by a giant chandelier; a 120-foot serpentine video wall to greet players with exciting video graphics, vintage commercials, and animation and a video marquee that is a modern-day version of the historic downtown Chicago Theatre sign.
Of course, all of this pavilion renovation is to replace the casino's former Egyptian-themed entertainment facility destroyed in a devastating fire in March 2009.
On the plus side, I'm told these changes widely expand the number of dining and entertainment choices available to guests since the casino boat (which really was spared from the fire) re-opened in June 2009.
Also, a total of 157 new positions have been created at the casino in preparation for the opening, increasing the number of employees from 837 prior to the fire to 953 when the pavilion opens.
"Just like the anticipation surrounding a big Hollywood premiere, you can really feel the excitement among our guests and employees as our staff grows and they see the finishing touches being applied to this spectacular new pavilion," said Jon Johnson, Vice President and General Manager of Empress Casino Joliet, soon to be called Hollywood Casino Joliet.
Both the Hollywood Casino Joliet and its sister property in Aurora are Penn National Gaming properties, and I'm told they plan to introduce a joint players card program in early 2011, allowing guests to earn and use points between the two properties simultaneously.
The Empress Casino Joliet, not to be confused with Harrah's Casino in downtown Joliet, is located 45 minutes southwest of Chicago near the I-80/I-55 interchange in Joliet. The 50,000 square-foot-casino is billed as the most spacious in Northern Illinois.
For more information and a sneak peek, go to HollywoodCasinoJoliet.com or (888) 436-7737.