It sits in the heart of the city, just south of downtown. The temporary operation churned out about $6.7 million in its first few weeks, generating about $695,000 in tax revenue for the Chicago police and firefighter pension funds.River City Casino, one of the most popular casinos in the midwest, is located in St. Medinah has hosted more than 157,000 visitors since it opened to gamblers at 600 N. He's also leased space for Mayor Brandon Johnson's and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel's campaigns. Kim has said they changed plans at the request of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office.įriedman was the landlord for Lightfoot's campaign office. If exercised, the extensions would mean another $9.6 million for Friedman, whose firm landed the temporary casino even though Bally's initially wanted to build their own temporary site adjacent to the Tribune plant. Chairman Soo Kim called the Chicago project 'our highest priority.'īally's is under lease at the Medinah Temple through December 2026, a deal that guarantees $16.5 million in rent payments to prolific River North developer Albert Friedman - and that can be extended through early 2029. has had to hold off on building its permanent casino while a lawsuit from a spurned bidder for the coveted project plays out against the north suburb.īally's executives reiterated their confidence during a quarterly earnings call last week, when president George Papanier told investors 'we expect our permanent casino to be completed for opening' in September 2026. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, casino operators would be able to ask to extend a temporary stay by any 'period of time deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board.' The Illinois House is expected to take up the bill this week during the General Assembly's veto session.Ĭunningham said the amendment was written at the behest of officials in Waukegan, where Full House Resorts Inc. 9, 2026.īut under the bill sponsored by state Sen. 24 to amend a state gambling law that currently limits new casinos to 24 months of operation at a temporary site while they build a permanent facility.įor now, operators can ask the Illinois Gaming Board for a 12-month extension, as Bally's did last month when regulators approved their request to keep Medinah open through Sept. A ribbon cutting was held for the temporary Bally's Chicago casino at Medinah Temple Tuesday morning in River North.ĬHICAGO - The leaders of Chicago's first casino say they're on schedule to move out of their temporary Medinah Temple digs within three years, but legislation advancing in Springfield could end up keeping Bally's bright lights on in River North well beyond 2026.

Is river city casino still open