The Temporary casino in Waukegan has loads of slot machines and a beautiful interior, but gets mixed reviews from patrons.
I took a trip to Full House Resort’s casino in northeast Illinois. Overall, I was pleased with my experience at the newest IL casino. It was clean, the interior was pleasant, the staff was friendly and there are nearly 1,000 slot machines.
But I wanted to hear what other guests had to say about The Temporary. So I talked to three patrons to get their reviews, and this is what they told me for PlayIllinois.
General thoughts on The Temporary
The Temporary received differing reviews from each guest I spoke with.
Joyce Collins from Milwaukee made the 45-minute drive down I-41 to visit the casino. While she was happy with how easy the commute was, she wasn’t pleased with how close the slot machines were.
Collins said:
“The machines are way too tight. I’ve never been to a casino, I don’t think, where the machines are quite as tight.”
Tara Venturi lives near The Temporary and at first was apprehensive to pay a visit due to the crime rates in Waukegan.
According to NeighborhoodScout.com, Waukegan’s crime index was a 24 out of 100, with 100 being the safest. That makes Waukegan safer than just 24% of U.S. cities.
However, Venturi was pleased with the security at The Temporary. She said:
“I think a lot of people where I’m from are scared to come up here because of [Waukegan’s crime rate]. But I feel a lot safer than I thought I would. I’ve been here twice now, I live five miles from here. I come with a friend and it’s fun, but I mean it’s beautiful for what it is.”
The last person I interviewed was a man who didn’t want to provide his name, so we’ll call him Barry Allen. This was Allen’s first time visiting The Temporary, and he was impressed with the casino’s interior despite it not being a permanent casino.
Friendly interactions with The Temporary employees
One thing each guest had in common was the positive experiences with The Temporary’s staff. Venturi and Allen each had limited interactions with employees, but had nothing but good things to say about the times they did speak to them.
But Collins interacted with casino employees immediately after entering The Temporary’s doors. She talked about having lots of metal in her body from previous surgeries, and this set off the metal detector.
Despite this, The Temporary’s staff was polite when dealing with her. Collins said:
“The people are very nice, very friendly. Coming in, I have metal in my back and all through my body, so I set off the alarms. But they were very polite, very nice about it.”
Collins also commented about the cleanliness at The Temporary.
Review point to what can be improved at the casino
When questioned about what The Temporary could do to get better, Venturi wasted no time in providing an answer.
“I thought the buffett could be a little bit better,” she said. “It’s American buffet style. When I went, they had buttered noodles and bread, so I mean, it could be a lot better.”
The Temporary plans on operating three restaurants once fully up and running. F0r now, L’Américain is up and running. An Asian-Azteca fusion restaurant will follow within the coming weeks. North Shore Steaks and Seafood is expected to open in the second quarter.
Collins expressed her disappointment in having to pay for a cup of coffee at the casino.
“Coffee is overpriced,” she said. “Most casinos you get a free coffee or free something. A coffee here is $3.50 which is extremely expensive for a cup of coffee at a casino.”
Allen’s main complaint about The Temporary was the lack of winning from his visit.
“I think it’s just been bad luck so far,” he said.
Will the guests return to The Temporary
The tell-tale sign on how each patron enjoyed their experience would be whether or not they planned on returning. Venturi and Allen both live close by and told me the convenience factor would surely bring them back.
But for Collins, she wasn’t impressed enough to make a trip back down from America’s Dairyland. Collins said she planned on sticking with the casinos closer to home.
“We usually go to the casinos up in Madison or Baraboo. Basically, they’re closer to home and I like those casinos a lot better. Especially in Baraboo, they’ve got the hotel and you can stay there.”