Wind Creek on Chicago's South Side prepares to open in late summer 2024
Wind Creek Chicago Southland is scheduled to open late next summer, according to representatives from the development company.
Wind Creek Hospitality is the commercial gaming entity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally recognized tribe located in the state of Alabama. In late 2021, the Illinois Gaming Commission awarded Wind Creek the state's only gaming franchise in the south Chicago suburb.
Wind Creek Chicago Southland begins construction of a $300 million casino resort in East Hazel Crest in June 2022.
The development includes a 70,000sqm casino with 1,350 slot machines, 56 gaming tables and a sportsbook. The resort will include a 16-story hotel with 252 guest rooms, an indoor pool, fitness center, spa, entertainment and events center and multiple restaurants.
Chicago Casino Under Development
Roger Kuehn, executive vice president and general manager of Wind Creek's South Chicago region, recently told the Chicago Tribune that construction is proceeding as planned. A topping out ceremony for the hotel is expected to take place in the coming weeks, Kuhn said.
"It's still a little bit far away, but I would expect it to be sometime in the third quarter of 2024. I think that's a fair timeline," Kuhn said, referring to the July-September period .
Wind Creek Chicago Southland will soon begin a hiring wave as the future casino and resort is expected to employ approximately 800 workers.
In 2019, Illinois lawmakers passed a Chicago-area gambling bill. Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed measures aimed at creating new tax revenue for infrastructure.
The gambling package includes five suburban casino licenses, one each in Danville, Rockford, South Suburban, Waukegan and Williamson counties. A sixth downtown Chicago casino has been approved, and Bally's is currently building a $1.7 billion integrated resort at Liberty Center.
The $100 million Golden Nugget Danville opened in May with 500 slot machines and 15 gaming tables. Hard Rock International is investing $358 million to build the permanent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Rockford. The temporary casino opened in November 2021.
In Waukegan, Full House Resorts is spending $400 million to build America's Place Casino Resort. A temporary play space opened in February this year. In Williamson County, Boyd Gaming’s $147 million Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort opened last August.
Community Partners
Wind Creek is committed to being a strong community partner in the south suburbs, something the company has proven in other markets in which it operates.
Wind Creek operates three Division I and II tribal casinos in its home state of Alabama: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery and Wind Creek Wetumpka. In 2019, the company paid for funeral expenses for all 23 victims of deadly tornadoes. The casino company also donated $25,000 to a church damaged by the tornado, but the congregation returned the money for ethical reasons.
In Pennsylvania, Wind Creek owns and operates Wind Creek Bethlehem, a commercial casino acquired by Las Vegas Sands in 2019 for $1.3 billion. The company gave stimulus checks to thousands of employees last year to fight inflation to stay even.
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Source: www.casino.org
