New massive, suburban casino open for business in Chicago area

All bets were on Monday morning as Illinois’ 16th casino opened its doors for business in the south suburbs. The Wind Creek Chicago Southland started taking wagers at 11 a.m. at 17300 S. Halsted St. in East Hazel Crest.

Its 1,400 slots and 56 table games will be live daily from 8 a.m. through 4 a.m., until the casino receives approval from the Illinois Gaming Board to operate 24/7. It also has a poker room and a sports bar that’s expected to eventually be licensed as a full sportsbook.

The entertainment complex has several dining options. A hotel in the upper levels of the 16-story casino structure is expected to open early next year.

“Even if you don’t gamble, you can come here and have great food and have a good time,” Wind Creek Chicago Southland general manager Roger Kuehn said during a preview of the casino.

Wind Creek will pay the state $45 million within the next month as part of its licensing terms. That money — along with the state’s future cuts of the casino revenue — is earmarked for Gov. JB Pritzker’s $45 billion capital infrastructure upgrade program.

The host communities will see some of the tax windfall too. The Wind Creek property straddles the border of two suburbs, with the gaming floor in East Hazel Crest and its attached parking garage within Homewood’s boundaries.

Dozens of other south suburbs will receive smaller fractions of the tax revenue as well, under the long-sought gaming expansion legislation signed in 2019.

Alabama-based Wind Creek Hospitality, part of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, was awarded the casino license over competing bids based in Matteson, Calumet City and Lynwood.