Get ready, gamblers: Chicago's first casino could open to the public as soon as this month.
Following a preliminary thumb's up from regulators at the Illinois Gaming Board in June, officials this week are set to tour and inspect Bally's temporary Chicago casino, located inside the city's historic Medinah Temple at 600 N. Wabash in River North.
According to Bally's executives, the temporary casino is licensed to operate inside the Medinah Temple for up to three years while the permanent, $1.7 billion casino at the site of the former Chicago Tribune Publishing Center is being built.
Construction on Bally's permanent facility, at 777 West Chicago, is expected to begin in 2024, officials said.
The 34,000 square-foot temporary casino, Bally's officials said, will include more than 800 slot machines and 50 gaming tables. According to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, the Medinah location is expected to bring in $55 million in tax revenue each year.
In an email to residents, Ald. Brandon Reilly (42nd Ward), who represents the area where the temporary casino is located, said should the facility pass inspection, it could open as early as Sept. 9. The email also stated that Reilly "remains vehemently opposed to the permanent and temporary casino locations selected in River North."
According to officials, the permanent casino will feature a 500-room hotel, 3,400 slot machines, 173 table games and 10 food venues. Also planned is a 3,000-seat entertainment center, as well as a 20,000 sq. foot "museum venue," officials say.
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