Bally's Chicago gets one-year extension to complete permanent casino project

Bally's Chicago has been granted an additional year to complete its permanent casino project after Illinois regulators approved an extension allowing the operator to continue running its temporary facility beyond the state's original three-year limit.

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has authorized Administrator Marcus Fruchter to give Bally's Chicago another year to complete its permanent casino project, setting Sept. 9, 2027, as the new effective deadline.

The move follows action by the Illinois General Assembly earlier this month authorizing the IGB to permit the Chicago casino to continue operating from a temporary location beyond the deadline previously set in state law. Senate Bill 3019, which provides the legislative basis for the extension, has not yet been signed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

Bally's has operated a temporary casino at the historic Medinah Temple building in downtown Chicago since Sept. 9, 2023, and plans to continue doing so until shortly before the permanent venue opens.

The permanent Bally's Chicago casino is under construction along the Chicago River near Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, northwest of downtown Chicago. The project is set to include 3,300 slot machines, 173 table games, a 500-room hotel tower, a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, cafes and a food hall, a two-acre public park, and an extension of the riverwalk.

The extension delays the arrival of a permanent Chicago casino that many operators in neighboring Northwest Indiana have viewed as a potential competitive threat. The additional year means those casinos will continue facing competition only from Bally's temporary facility rather than a fully developed resort casino.

While Bally's remains the third-most visited casino in Illinois, its revenue performance has lagged behind some competitors. The casino's monthly gaming revenue generally has not ranked among the state's top five properties, and the operation has generated less tax revenue than initially projected to help fund Chicago's police and firefighter pension obligations.

Meanwhile, Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino in East Hazel Crest has emerged as a significant competitor in the Illinois market, recording the state's second-highest attendance and gaming revenue during its 18th full month of operations.

Separately, the IGB approved an extension allowing Full House Resorts to continue operating its temporary Waukegan casino until Feb. 17, 2029, while construction continues on its permanent American Place Casino development.