Illinois Gaming Board approves first set of licenses for temporary Bally's casino
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Possibly coming this summer: a new temporary casino in downtown Chicago.
On Thursday, the Illinois Gaming Board approved supplier licenses for the two companies representing the Medinah Temple building and the land it sits on.
Bally's is planning to open a temporary casino at Medinah Temple while it builds a permanent casino in the River West neighborhood, at the site of the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center publishing site.
But there is still a lot of red tape for Bally's to navigate before it can open the temporary casino or begin work on the permanent site.
Bally's is hoping to open the permanent casino in 2026.
The project will include a casino, hotel, multiple restaurants, an event center, a theater, condos and apartments, retail space, and a new public park. The project is expected to create 3,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs.