• Rosemont Casino Entertainment Hotel
• Rosemont Casino Entertainment Center

Rivers Casino: Gaming, Dining and Entertainment Test your luck at Chicago's premier gambling hotspot. Play on over 1,000 state-of-the-art slot machines. Experience world-class table games, including craps, blackjack, poker, Spanish 21, roulette and Baccarat. Enjoy live music every week at Cube, featuring 20 HD flat screen TVs. A 200,000 square-foot dining and entertainment complex, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is a one-stop destination for nightlife, big city dining, live entertainment and family fun. Savor upscale international cuisine at 12 different restaurants. Treat the family to a night of bowling or ice skating at a climate-controlled, NHL-sized rink.

In a stinging blow to what once seemed an unstoppable deal, the Illinois Gaming Board on Tuesday rejected a planned Rosemont casino, concluding that top officials of the would-be riverboat had misled the board and that some investors had links to mob figures.

'The investigative record establishes the insidious presence of organized crime elements associated with this proposed project that cannot be ignored,' Gaming Board Administrator Sergio Acosta said in a statement to the board.

The board's 4-1 vote against the boat project delivered a severe setback to Rosemont Mayor Donald Stephens and the financial backers of the casino, known as the Emerald, who were once so confident of approval that they sank more than $10 million into the casino's construction.

Stephens and a consortium of powerful gambling interests had mounted a major lobbying effort that resulted in authorization of the casino as the centerpiece of a 1999 gambling law. The law also tied the Rosemont casino's profits to horse racing subsidies.

The decision highlighted the newfound rigor of a board that not long ago was considered little more than a rubber stamp for the gambling industry. Indeed, within an hour of rejecting the Emerald project, the board announced it had persuaded Jack Binion, the controversial owner of the Empress casino in Joliet, to sell his boat and get out of gambling in Illinois.

That agreement effectively ends Binion's appeal of a board decision last summer that declared him ethically unfit to run a casino in the state.

The Rosemont decision was a serious blow to the principals of Emerald Casino Inc., run by former Waste Management Inc. executive Donald Flynn, who thought they had the casino's approval locked up after passage of the gambling law, which allowed for a new casino in Cook County.

Before the vote, Acosta said that Flynn and his son, Kevin, Emerald's chief executive office, 'have repeatedly made false and misleading statements' to the board.

The decision outraged Kevin Flynn, who complained that he and his father hadn't had a fair opportunity to rebut the allegations. He described his father as 'stunned' by the decision and vowed an appeal of the board's ruling to an administrative law judge and, if necessary, into the courts.

'It's absurd,' Kevin Flynn said. 'We still don't know what these so-called misleading statements are. I may win the appeal, but I don't know how I get my reputation back.'

In making his recommendation against Emerald, Acosta gave scant details of the reasons for the denial, though they may be more fully spelled out in a formal letter to be sent to Emerald officials in a few weeks. A staff report detailing the investigation into the Emerald is confidential.

But Acosta said staff investigators found evidence that two of Emerald's proposed investors 'have close associations with Chicago organized crime figures.'

Acosta also noted that 'known members of organized crime control at least one firm that has done work at the Rosemont site.'

The Gaming Board has questioned Emerald officials about construction site contracts with D&P Construction, which is controlled by a relative of reputed top mob figure John 'No Nose' DiFronzo.

In addition, Acosta said he has 'serious concerns' that board approval would make it difficult for casino regulators to monitor effectively 'future efforts by organized crime to compromise the integrity of the proposed casino.'

According to a high-level Gaming Board official, who declined to be identified, one of the investors in question was Nicholas Boscarino, who once owned a fork-lift leasing company with both Stephens and William Daddano Jr. Daddano is listed by the Chicago Crime Commission and other law-enforcement groups as a member of the Chicago crime syndicate.

The official also said that some of the allegedly misleading statements by the Flynns were related to a lawsuit brought against the Emerald by California billionaire Marvin Davis, who alleged that he had been promised a stake in the casino in exchange for lobbying help. After providing that help, Davis claimed, the Flynn's reneged on the deal.

For almost two years, the fate of the Emerald and its many politically influential investors has been closely watched statewide. After extensive lobbying by gambling interests and Rosemont, lawmakers in spring 1999 passed legislation that appeared to guarantee Emerald the right to move its gambling operation from a failed location in East Dubuque to the sure-to-be-lucrative site in Rosemont, near O'Hare International Airport.

As part of an intricate compromise, the law also provided that millions of dollars in Rosemont casino revenue would be used to subsidize the state's horse racing industry. Additional millions of dollars from the new casino would be spent to upgrade the Cook County criminal justice system and state athletic fields.

Some 71 suburban communities agreed to support Rosemont's casino bid in exchange for a cut of the revenue.

Gary Mack, a spokesman for Stephens, expressed bitter disappointment after the vote. But he said that it appeared the board's problems rested with Emerald Casino, not Rosemont, even though board investigators looked into ties Stephens has had with crime syndicate associates. Stephens has repeatedly denied any such links.

Asked about allegations regarding organized crime influence on the project, Mack said: 'Mr. Acosta is wrong. There is none of that in Rosemont.'

The vote on the Emerald was preceded by testimony from supporters and opponents of the project, including Wayne Johnson, chief investigator of the Chicago Crime Commission, a citizen anti-crime watchdog group. Johnson urged the board to reject the Emerald project based on what he said were relationships between Stephens and associates of organized crime.

But at least three of the four board members who opposed Emerald's license request said afterward they didn't base their decision on any information relating to Stephens or Rosemont.

In other public comments, a representative of the suburbs that hoped to share casino revenues presented the board with a letter from former Gov. James R. Thompson. In the letter, Thompson vouched for Stephens, calling him 'a fine public servant and a friend.'

State lawmakers who helped push through the casino legislation expressed little more than resignation over the board's decision.

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who supported the gambling legislation, said only that the Gaming Board 'has the authority to what they did. That's the way it is.'

Rep. Angelo 'Skip' Saviano (R-Elmwood Park), a Stephens ally who helped shepherd the casino package through the General Assembly, noted how important the project is to Stephens.

'I mean, this is like the final component of his overall vision,' he said, adding, 'This was going to be the other jewel to finalize it being a premier convention town.'

Thom Serafin, spokesman for Arlington Park, emphatically denied that the loss of anticipated casino money would impact the race track. He said counting on that money would have been 'hypothetical' and a poor way to run a racing business.

Michael Dockterman, a lawyer for Lake County Riverboat LP, a rival group of casino investors who had sued the Gaming Board to scuttle the Emerald project, said he hoped the decision would allow his group to compete for a license in an open process. If that fails to happen, he said his group would press an appeal of the lawsuit, which was thrown out by a Cook County judge last week.

The lawsuit claimed the 1999 gambling law was unconstitutionally written to confer special benefits on the Emerald group to the exclusion of others.

Yes, Hofbrauhaus is faux Munich, but people flock here because it may be the nearest they'll ever get to Germany. The massive beer hall - which can easily hold 1,000 people - is designed like its sister beer hall in Munich where people drink beer out of large steins, and order Teutonic edibles like Bavarian sausages or Apfelstrudel, a homemade apple streudel with ice cream. Live performers, often wearing lederhosen, get the crowd singing and dancing with a wide range of music. The live music and gaeity attracts hordes of people and if you linger you'll likely hear the same tuneage and toasts more than a few times. Every few minutes the performers toast their steins with the whole restaurant and say 'Prost!'. Seating is on long communal tables which adds to the party atmosphere.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: Hofbrauhaus is 100% biergarten theme park, so expect a German-like experience.

Jacky's expert tip: Try the Dunkel, a dark beer that was the first to be brewed at Hofbrauhaus.

KINGS Dining & Entertainment is a 27,000-square-foot complex featuring 20 ten-pin bowling lanes, a full-service restaurant, table games and the Draft Room – a modern riff on the sports bar. It has three 14-foot HD LED display panels, made-from-scratch cuisine and 40 draft beers. Meant as a destination for get-togethers with friends, fun dates, special occasions, corporate events, family outings and watching the game, the facility offers roomy player accommodations, upscale bar fare, craft beers and signature cocktails. Stand out menu choices include Buffalo wontons, pan seared ginger soy glazed salmon and award-winning wings. Burgers are made from a premium proprietary mix of brisket, Angus and chuck and seared on a flat-top grill. A late-night DJ spins tunes to encourage a visit to the dance floor after 10 p.m. and during summer, three garage doors open to an expanded beer garden-style patio.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: Kings supplies better-than-bar food, craft beer, sports viewing, bowling and table games. Sounds like fun!

Jacky's expert tip: Families may bring the kids until 10 p.m. then Kings becomes an adult playground for those 21 or older.

Rivers Casino, the first casino in the world to achieve the LEED Gold certification has become one of the most popular casinos in Illinois since it opened in 2011. It's technically in Des Plaines, but adjacent to Rosemont and close to O'Hare International Airport. It's tiny compared to the mega casinos of Las Vegas but it fits the bill when you're looking for some gaming entertainment near the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center or the airport. It's home to nearly 50 table games and more than 1,000 slots in denominations ranging from 1¢ to $100. Sign up for the Rush Rewards card (it's free) and get dining discounts an other perks. You cannot lose dining at the onsite outpost of Hugo's Frog Bar & Chop House for Gibson's steaks, crab legs, lobster, fresh fish, salads and sandwiches.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: Since opening in 2011, Rivers has become one of the most popular casinos in the state.

Jacky's expert tip: Get the Rivers 'Rush Rewards' card to enjoy dining discounts and other priority perks.

If you're a fan of Big 10 sports then you'll want to visit this unique museum in Parkway Bank Park. It's dedicated to the history and highlights of the mens' and womens' sports teams from the Big 10, a division which consists mostly of colleges in the Midwest. The museum includes 13 interactive exhibits, a theater, and even things like a photo op with the Heisman trophy. Look up stats, learn about the league's sports legends, listen to famous TV or radio calls from certain games, or play an interactive game where you catch a football, stop a soccer ball or block a hockey puck.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: This is a specialized museum for fans of college sports.

Jacky's expert tip: The museum is open seven days a week and admission to the Big Ten Experience is free.

iFLY lets fliers experience the thrill of skydiving in the safety of an indoor, vertical wind tunnel. Located in Rosemont, just minutes away from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, the indoor skydiving attraction lets fliers feel the wind in their face and the rush in their bones as they float effortlessly into the air. The experience begins with a safety lesson and tutorial, and then the friendly instructors help you fly. Sometimes the instructors will do some tricks for the crowd, which circles the glass tunnel. Videos of your flight are available for purchase. It's a popular activity for couples, families and even seniors. It's worth a go at least once.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: This is a unique, memorable experience for couples, families and even seniors.

Jacky's expert tip: Keep an eye out for Groupons and other deals. They're offered regularly and can save a few bucks (just be sure to read the fine print!).

Allstate Arena's 18,500 seats make it one of the largest indoor entertainment facilities in Chicago. It hosts A-list music concerts, family shows like Disney on Ice, sporting events, and a massive flea market in the parking lot on Sunday mornings. The arena is home to the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and monster truck shows. Some of the big shows in 2018 include ELO, REO Speedwagon, Demi Lovato and Chicago, as well as Elton Jon's Farewell Tour in 2019. Video screens and good sight lines make it easy to enjoy the show regardless of where you are seated. There is plenty of on-site parking although as expected, it can take some time to leave the lot after a popular performance or game. LYFT recently won a contract with the city so you can call a car, too.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: From Chicago Wolves hockey to concerts, the Allstate Arena books world-class performances at its 18,500 seat indoor entertainment facility.

Jacky's expert tip: Snag a last minute ticket at the walk-up box office across the street.

Fashion Outlets of Chicago opened in 2013 and quickly became one of the most popular shopping spots near Chicago for tourists and locals. The mall's upper level has high end stores like Burberry, Longchamp and Prada, with the first-floor occupied by favorites like Nike, GAP, PUMA and Saks. There's a free shuttle to the mall from O'Hare International Airport, which is just a few minutes away. The mall's guest services area offers a wide range of travel-related services, including airline baggage check-in and boarding pass issuance. The mall also has several good food options, including health food from Freshii, Vegetarian at Maoz, or confections from Lindt, Häagen-Dazs or Godiva.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: The large, indoor designer outlet mall is a short ride from O'Hare International Airport.

Jacky's expert tip: Parking is free in the indoor lot. Look for green lights above the parking spaces, which indicate an open spot.

The world-class ballpark, Impact Field is a brand new $63 million development with 6,300 seats, seven private seating experiences, a 360-degree open concourse, and tons of stadium garage parking spaces. The equally new Chicago Dogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball run the bases here during home games. The team is named after Chicago's and baseball's favorite food and if you compare the ChicagoDogs' logo to the city's flag, you'll notice the same colors and stars surrounding the hot dog graphic. The 2018 inaugural season features 50 home games and Butch Hobson, who manages the Boston Red Sox for three seasons, is the first manager of the Chicago Dogs. Locals will be thrilled to know that the world's second Wiener's Circle location will call the ballpark home. Expect signature items like char dogs and char burgers.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: The independent league baseball stadium is home to the newest expansion team of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball - the tasty Chicago Dogs.

Jacky's expert tip: Single game tickets cost between $9-$25 but there are other value packages from which to choose.

The new outpost of the indoor amusement chain adds over 40,000 sq. ft. of HDTV's, glowing cocktails, nearly 160 arcade games, private event space and sports bar menu of apps, burgers and tacos to the Pearl District of Rosemont. It's Vegas-lite for kids, laugh-out-loud fun for adults playing air hockey, racing and shooting games, and high-tech carnival-type games of chance. The menu is over the top (burgers with three types of bacon); features mash-ups of popular bar food (e.g. a 'pizzadilla'); and many massive shareables like 'Mountain o' Nachos.' There are also steaks, pasta and some seafood choices as well as a handful of salads if you don't want to go over your calorie count for the next three days. Kids can wear themselves out in the arcade while parents sip Glow Kones containing a flashing cube that may help Junior locate Mom or Dad.

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: The D&B Sports Bar has two dozen screens and four major sport packages including pay-per-view fights making it an ideal spot for sports fans.

Jacky's expert tip: You can spend a lot of money fast, so check out Happy Hour weekdays for discounted drinks, games and food.

Rosemont Casino Entertainment Hotel

Parkway Bank Park is home to 12 venues including restaurants, live music spaces, Zanie's Comedy Club, state-of-the-art 18-screen movie theater, bowling and more. The entertainment district also boasts a common area for outdoor seasonal activities, including a climate controlled NHL sized ice rink for skating during winter and free concerts in the summer. There's an interactive digital museum, The Big Ten Experience, offering free admission and iFLY, an indoor skydiving experience.Among the many eateries, you can dine at Bub City for Southern favorites and live band karaoke; Adobe Gila's for Mexican; Fogo de Chao for meat heavy Brazilian fare; German beer hall, Hofbrauhaus; and Five Roses offers an Irish pub atmosphere and eats. The aptly named Sugar Factory sells specialty candies and ice cream and also has a café menu (think Red Velvet pancakes and Cotton Candy Cosmopolitans).

Recommended for Rosemont's Best Attractions because: It's a slice of the city with dining and entertainment all in one place - no taxis, Ubers or Lyfts needed.

Rosemont Casino Entertainment Center

Jacky's expert tip: Check the web site for special events like cookouts, fireworks and seasonal festivals.