Temporary Chicago casino at Medinah Temple could open its doors in early September

Craig Wall Image
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Temporary Chicago casino could open its doors in early September
A Ballys temporary Chicago casino at the former Medinah Temple in River North could open its doors in early September.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago is about to take a step closer to a new Bally's casino.

Regulators will inspect operations at a temporary casino at the Medinah Temple at Wabash Avenue and Ohio Street on September 5 and it could open it's doors to the public by September 9, a spokesperson for the Illinois Gaming Board confirmed

Bally's temporary casino has been outfitted with about 750 slot machines and 50 table games.

RELATED: Bally's releases new renderings of Chicago casino complex in River West

The company is building their permanent $1.7 billion casino in River West. That should take three years.

City officials are hoping they can get as much as $55 million in annual tax revenue from this temporary location and about $200 million a year from the permanent site. The money is earmarked for police and firefighter pension funds.

The revenue is also supposed to help fund Governor JB Pritzker's infrastructure improvement program.

Once the spot is inspected and approved by the gaming board, they can open. Bally's hopes to hire 700 workers for this site.