A new casino destination is planning on opening soon in a Chicago, Illinois suburb as long as it passes the final test from the state. Per a recent report, the Wind Creek Chicago Southland in East Hazel Crest, Ill, plans to open in the near future, but the owners of the newly finished casino resort say they are still awaiting final approval from the state. The Wind Creek Chicago Southland comes from Wind Creek Hospitality, the gaming subsidiary of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PBCI) based in Alabama. Officials with the Chicago suburb casino say they hope to unlock the doors soon.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news and notes coming from the Illinois gaming scene along with some additional thoughts over at SBS.
Also noted in the article, Roger Kuehn, executive vice president and general manager of what will become Wind Creek’s second commercial casino resort property in the United States, says the casino can’t open until the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) gives its final approval.
“We have to prove that we’re competent casino operators and, if we do, I think we’ll get the green light to open on a date that we want,” Kuehn told a large media outlet in the area.
Wind Creek Chicago Southland comes with a 70K-square-foot casino floor with 1,400 slot machines, 56 live dealer tables, a poker room, and a sportsbook. The 16-story hotel has 252 guest rooms and suites, 12,000 square feet of event space, a 75K-square-foot entertainment hall, and several restaurants and bars. Wind Creek Chicago will also open a full-service spa, an indoor pool, and a fitness center in early 2025.
Also covered in this article, after operating Class I and II casinos, including electronic bingo-based gaming machines but not slots or house-banked table games in its native Alabama. This is because the state has refused to enter into a Class III gaming compact with the tribe, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PBCI) focused its energies outside the state with a push into the commercial gaming market. In 2018, the tribe wagered its largest bet ever when it acquired Sands Bethlehem in Pennsylvania for $1.3 billion.
Though the tribe operates three boutique casino resorts in Aruba and Curacao, its investment in Eastern Pennsylvania and the decision to acquire one of the state’s most successful casino properties put the Poarch Creek Indians on the national gaming industry map. Though the pandemic delayed a return, the tribe’s bet on Bethlehem is beginning to be a winning one. It also allowed PBCI to consider new commercial investments.
After Illinois lawmakers and Gov. JB Prizker (D) expanded gaming in 2020, Wind Creek Gaming bid for the development opportunity in Chicago Southland. The tribe’s bid was picked by the IGB in 2021 over several other proposals, including from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. Additionally, a bid from Delaware North was also defeated.
Kuehn says construction costs swelled considerably higher than what Wind Creek initially budgeted. “We’re way over budget,” Kuehn said, adding that the original $529 million budget ballooned to about $575 million because of high materials and labor costs. He is happy though, the article notes, with the finished project, however, calling the destination “more than a casino – we are an experience.” Wind Creek Chicago has hired 900 people to cooperate with the casino and hotel. Kuehn expects the workforce to increase to about 1,200 team members once the remaining components are finished and opened.
Noted in another article, the Wind Creek Casino seems to have a lot of positive sentiment and support around its opening. In early 2025 for instance, a 10,000-square-foot entertainment area and a 16-floor hotel are scheduled to open. “This is gonna be an economic engine for not only the facility where it’s located, but the entire region. Revenue that will be coming to our construction, our program, which all the communities will benefit, plus the revenue sharing of all the south suburban communities.” Rep. Bob Rita said in the report. As of this article’s writing, the opening of the Wind Creek is still on schedule as it makes its foray into the Illinois gaming scene looking to be a robust economic engine for the Chicago community. Indeed, with more diverse gaming options in the state, Illinois is aiming to take some of the gaming business away from some of its state neighbors.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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