The newest Illinois casino will officially open to the public Friday at 8 p.m. (CT) in Waukegan.
Subject to final regulatory approval from the Illinois Gaming Board, The Temporary by American Place will play host to a private VIP reception that starts at 5 p.m. The doors will open to the public three hours later.
The casino is owned and operated by Full House Resorts.
“We thank the Illinois Gaming Board and its staff for their assistance throughout The Temporary’s construction and preparation,” said Daniel R. Lee, president and chief executive officer of Full House Resorts. “I also want to thank our own team of approximately 500 founding employees, who have worked diligently to prepare us for this exciting moment. We are eager to welcome Chicagoland residents to The Temporary beginning on February 17.”
The opening date of The Temporary has been pushed back several times while waiting for IGB approval.
The Temporary is the 12th Illinois casino
The Temporary will be the 12th bricks-and-mortar casino in Illinois.
It is located near the shore of Lake Michigan, between Chicago and Milwaukee. It is approximately 30 minutes north of O’Hare International Airport.
Due to its location in a lakeside town, The Temporary’s “interior design draws inspiration from ‘a day at the lake,’ with lush greenery and boat paddles.”
The casino features:
- Approximately 1,000 slot machines.
- 50 table games.
- Three restaurants: L’Américain, Asia-Azteca and North Shore Steaks & Seafood (opening in April).
- The Canoe bar where guests can enjoy signature cocktails under a unique chandelier fashioned from canoes.
- Two modified Airstream trailers inside the casino will offer local craft beer, salads, paninis, sandwiches, and custom coffee and espresso drinks.
- At night, projection mapping equipment will transform The Temporary’s exterior into a large-scale art display.
Circa Sportsbook to come later this year
Also, 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:
Permanent casino in Waukegan to follow in 2025
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.
Notably, 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.
More Illinois casino openings expected this year
Five more casino openings are expected to follow The Temporary, some this year:
- 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
