The newest Illinois casino was supposed to open in October, then December. Now it appears the The Temporary by American Place Casino in Waukegan — owned and operated by Full House — could open in January.
The company has been mostly mum on an opening date. But, recent posts on the casino’s Facebook page have said the casino’s opening date would be announced soon. And, that includes a Dec. 24 video post by vice president and general manager Jeff Babinski from the casino floor confirming that “soon” there would be an announcement about the opening, which was also expected “soon.”
Though, as of Tuesday morning, the Illinois Gaming Board listed Full House Resorts Illinois LLC as “preliminarily suitable” and not fully “licensed.”
Waukegan will be the 12th Illinois casino
When the temporary Waukegan casino does open, it will be the 12th Illinois casino.
Five more casino openings will follow:
- Golden Nugget Danville — scheduled to open in March 2023
- The temporary Bally’s Chicago casino — scheduled to open at the Medinah Temple in June 2023 (the permanent Bally’s Chicago is scheduled to open in 2026)
- Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Williamson County — scheduled to open sometime in 2023
- A permanent Hard Rock Rockford casino — scheduled to open late in 2023 (the Hard Rock: Opening Act temporary casino opened in 2021)
- Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino on the border between Homewood and East Hazel Crest, IL — scheduled to open in late 2023 or early 2024
Circa sportsbook to launch with American Place opening
Notably, the partnership with Full House at the Waukegan facility is the gateway for Circa to launch its Illinois sportsbook app.
Yet, the IGB still lists Circa Sports Illinois LLC as an “applicant.”
If it does become licensed, Circa will become the eighth sports betting operator in Illinois, joining:
In November, PlayIllinois handicapped which Illinois sportsbooks are most likely to launch next in the Prairie State.
The Temporary to feature 1,000 slot machine
And, beyond the Circa Sportsbook, the temporary Waukegan casino in the town located on the shores of Lake Michigan will offer:
- 1,000 slot machines
- 50 table games
- A variety of dining options: three sit-down restaurants, other food options and a large bar
Notably, the permanent American Place casino will open in Waukegan in 2025. It has a $400 million price tag.
And, it will feature:
- 1,640 slots
- 100 table games
- A permanent sportsbook
- 1,500-seat entertainment venue
- 20 ‘villa-style’ rooms called The Mansion in the initial phase. A second phase will include a 150-room hotel
And, Full House Resorts prides itself on providing a lavish experience for players and maintains casinos in Mississippi, Indiana, Nevada and Colorado.
Bottom line, the permanent casino will create more than 400 jobs in the city located between Chicago and Milwaukee.
