It’s still uncertain when Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino will open, but Wind Creek tells PlayIllinois it is still “slated to open in fall 2024.”
The casino’s parent company recently put out a call for workers. It seeks to fill a wide range of jobs, including casino operations roles, hotel positions, spa jobs, valets, security and surveillance posts, and a range of administration, finance, and marketing positions.
Casino likely to open before hotel
When Wind Creek does open, it will be the 16th casino in the state. Lawmakers have not legalized Illinois online casinos yet, so retail casinos remain the only venues offering slots and table games in the state.
A spokesperson for Wind Creek tells PlayIllinois that the casino’s opening is dependent on the general contractor’s sign-off as well as coordination with the Illinois Gaming Board.
According to its website, the casino and hotel will be “the first AAA Four Diamond Casino destination to Illinois and Northern Indiana, ideally and conveniently located for all south Chicago suburbs. This unique gaming destination will include a luxury hotel with an indoor pool, fitness center and spa, a large capacity banquet facility, a state-of-the-art entertainment center, and an array of tempting dining options – all designed to provide you with an unparalleled experience and the perfect escape.”
The 70,000-square-foot casino will include 1,350 slot machines and 56 table games. Though construction has been underway since June 2022, a report from March said the project – estimated to cost $529 million – was delayed until 2025. At that time, Roger Kuehn, Wind Creek’s executive vice president and general manager, cited bad weather during initial outdoor construction as the primary reason for the delay.
Although the hotel tower is visible on the Wind Creek website’s construction cam, the surrounding area is still open with lots of heavy machinery at work. As such, the casino will likely open several months before the hotel is ready for occupancy.
A WBEZ Chicago Instagram post from March said dozens of towns in the South Chicago area will collect tax revenue from the casino.
“In addition to promising that 3% of local tax revenue will go to 42 neighboring towns, Wind Creek is promising other community benefits. East Hazel Crest plans to use a portion of the funds it receives to develop a community benefits fund to provide college scholarships and pay for cancer screenings for low-income families.”
Casino hopes to entice players that travel to Indiana
Wind Creek will follow Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s opening on Aug. 29. Both Wind Creek and the new permanent casino in Rockford should increase casino revenue in the state, which reported more than $135 million in adjusted gross revenue in July.
Casino revenue is close to $1 billion so far in 2024.
Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino operators hope to divert traffic headed to casinos in Indiana. The resort could also draw some customers from Bally’s temporary casino at Medinah Temple in downtown Chicago.
Bally’s is expected to begin construction soon on its permanent casino on the 30-acre former Tribune Publishing site. The company still expects its permanent casino to open in September 2026.
