The temporary casino will be the first in Chicago and will operate during construction of. Read more Bally's Chicago hopes to open temporary casino this week! Septem-īally's Chicago will open a temporary casino at the Medinah Temple soon after Labor Day. The opening follows days of inspection and testing. Read more Bally's Casino at Medinah Temple Opened Today 8 AM Septem-īally's will open their temporary casino today at 8 AM inside the Medinah Temple in River North. The casino began operating on Sep.9 and will continue for the next three. Read more Bally's celebrates grand opening of temporary Chicago casino Octo-īally's celebrated the official grand opening Tuesday of its downtown casino in the Medinah Temple. The IGB also approved a 12-month extension of Bally's license at the Medinah Temple. Last Thursday the Illinois Gaming Control Board (IGB) approved the casino license for Bally's permanent casino. News Headlines Bally's Chicago casino license is approved Octo. Bally's proposal is now under review for approval at the Illinois Gaming Board. Each proposal was reviewed by Chicago officials, and Bally's in River West was selected as winner. ( See details)įive Chicago casino applications with proposals were submitted prior the Oct. This interim casino will operate for three years until the permanent Bally's Chicago opens in 2026. 9, 2023 inside the Medinah Temple at 600 N. Bally's will open in 2026.īally's opened a temporary Chicago casino opn Sep. That bidder would then have to apply for state approval.Bally's Chicago will be the largest casino in Illinois with 3,400 slot machines and 173 table games, six restaurants, a 500-room hotel and a 3,000-seat theater. The mayor has put together a City Council committee to narrow the field down to one finalist within the next few months. Auchi was a partner with Tony Rezko - the political fixer who was convicted of kickback schemes under disgraced ex-Gov. One of them, Leslie Bluhm, who went to law school with Lightfoot, co-hosted a campaign fundraiser and remains close friends with the mayor.Īdditionally, part of the 78 site is still owned by Nahdmi Auchi, an Iraqi billionaire who is prohibited from entering the United States because he was convicted of taking illegal commissions in a French oil deal. Bluhm’s daughters donated more than $212,000 to Lightfoot’s first mayoral campaign. The 78 bid also presents a potential problem of political optics for Lightfoot.īluhm - who founded Illinois’ most lucrative existing casino, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines - and his family have close ties to the mayor. Lightfoot accused of ‘stacking the deck’ on Chicago casino committee.

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