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The Poarch Band of Creek Indians opened its highly anticipated Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino with a ribbon-cutting celebration on Monday, Nov. 11, capping off a three-year journey from groundbreaking to completion. It’s the second new Chicago-area casino to have opened in the span of a few months. Hard Rock Rockford began its operations on Aug. 19, 2024.
The Illinois Gaming Board granted final approval on Friday for the Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino. This marked the 16th and final Illinois casino license issued under the state’s 2019 casino gambling expansion legislation.
The Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino may be the newest addition to the Poarch Creek Indians’ gaming family, but it’s just one piece of a larger puzzle as its ninth casino facility.
In Alabama, the tribe has been working to break through legislative roadblocks. The state narrowly missed a major breakthrough last session that would have unlocked full casino operations beyond electronic bingo-only casinos in Montgomery, Atmore, and Wetumpka.
Arthur Mothershed, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Government Relations for Wind Creek Hospitality commented on the hopeful expansion in the south.
We would love to invest more in Alabama. We look forward to continuing discussions with state legislators on further development opportunities.
What does Wind Creek Chicago Casino have in store?
There is more to come from the Wind Creek Chicago casino. The facility’s full vision as an integrated resort remains underway, with the hotel component slated for completion in 2025.
Located in East Hazel Crest, the 70,000-square-foot Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino comes with
- Over 1,400 slot machines
- 56 table games
- High-limit table games salon
- Poker room
- Sportsbook
- Sports bar
The casino eyes $160M in annual revenue
As part of its licensing agreement under the 2019 law, Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino will contribute 5% of its revenue to the host community and 42 surrounding suburbs. That comes with expectations of generating $160 million in gross gaming revenue annually by 2025.
Revenue generation for the community is just one side. The casino running will no doubt create employment opportunities for locals.
Jay Dorris, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wind Creek Hospitality, commented on the Southland opening:
The opening of Wind Creek Chicago Southland underscores our dedication to making a positive economic impact in the communities we serve. We’re committed to create opportunities that support the region, offer competitive benefits for team members, and further strengthen the vibrant Southland community.
Roger Kuehn, EVP and General Manager of Wind Creek Chicago Southland echoed the importance of creating new opportunities for the area.
From the start, our mission has been to create jobs, spur economic growth, and offer the ultimate entertainment escape.
Can Wind Creek Chicago Casino keep pace with Bally’s impending arrival?
A lot has been happening in both the land-based and online casino scene in Illinois. Some of the recent developments include:
- Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s grand opening on August 29, marking a major milestone
- Boyd Gaming’s plans to relocate Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino from its East Peoria riverboat to a land-based location.
- Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.’s $250 million land purchase for Bally’s Chicago’s permanent home.
However, Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.’s has revealed that Bally’s Chicago’s permanent casino will open in the fall of 2026, which is about two years from now.
This means that the Wind Creek Chicago Casino will soon face stiff competition from the incoming new casino facility. Although, what are the odds that it will be a worthy contender, as the temporary Bally’s Casino is amongst the top contenders in Illinois?
As of the September revenue report, the Bally’s Chicago casino came in with $10.3 million. Even though it was a slight decrease from the preceding month, it was only behind Rivers Casino and Hard Rock Casino Rockford.
