Illinois Gaming Board delays decision eliminating Chicago-area casino contender
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The Illinois Gaming Board will vote on narrowing the field of four applicants for a south suburban casino to three. The board is on pace to grant the license to one of the applicants by early January. There are proposals for casinos in Calumet City, Lynwood, Matteson and one on the border of Homewood and East Hazel Crest. Applicants used professionally produced, documentary style videos to promote their projects.
Calumet City is planning a 150,000-square-foot casino in River Oaks shopping center. Southland Live Casino is a partnership that includes Delaware North, which operates a casino. The temporary casino would open within three months and the permanent one would take two years.
Homewood and East Hazel Crest are partnering with Wind Creek Hospitality for a 64,000-square-foot casino on a 24-acre site southwest off the interchange of Interstate 80 and Halsted Street. The facility would sit on the border of both suburbs. It would be built in two phases: first a $300 million entertainment center and 21-story hotel with a rooftop balcony offering views of Chicago's skyline. Second phase proposes another hotel.
Illinois Gaming Board delays decision eliminating Chicago-area casino contender Lynwood. Ho-Chunk Nation owns more than 120 acres and operates a sports and entertainment center on the land. The Ho Chunk's gaming subsidiary operates six casinos in Wisconsin. Lyn Wood's village board adopted a resolution in support of the Ho chunk proposal in October 2019.
Matteson proposes a 123,000-square-foot casino on the former Lincoln Mall property. The first phase would be a temporary casino inside a meeting space attached to the Holiday Inn. It would take 18 months before a permanent casino is built. Market Square Crossing project would include small shops, restaurants and entertainment options around the casino.
The Illinois General Assembly in May 2019 approved legislation expanding the number of casino licenses throughout the state from 10 to one. The south suburban communities that would benefit from the revenue sharing language of the legislation include Dixmoor, Dolton, Phoenix and Robbins.
