Bally’s temporary Chicago casino at Medinah Temple welcomes 1.3 million visitors during first year of operation

Bally’s Chicago has reached its first-year milestone, welcoming 1.3 million visitors to its temporary casino at the Medinah Temple. Over the past 12 months, the casino has generated over $114 million in adjusted gross receipts, placing it among the top four in Illinois. 

The casino, which opened in September 2023, is the first of its kind in Chicago and has provided the city with nearly $12.9 million in local tax revenue, according to the Illinois Gaming Board. However, this figure remains below projections for the temporary operation. Initially, the casino was expected to generate $243 million in adjusted gross receipts and contribute $35 million in taxes by 2024.

“Since we first opened, we have strived to meet the commitments we made to the city of Chicago and are proud of how far we have come in just one year,” said George Papanier, president of Bally’s Corporation.

George Papanier

The casino’s success comes as Bally’s pushes ahead with its $1.7 billion plan to build a permanent facility on the site of the former Tribune Publishing plant in River North. The expansive project will feature a hotel, theater, multiple restaurants, and 4,000 gaming positions, making it the largest casino in Illinois. The permanent complex is slated to open in 2026.

In the meantime, Bally’s continues to operate out of the 130,000-square-foot Medinah Temple, which was renovated at a cost of $50 million before its transformation into a temporary casino. The venue, known for its unique Moorish-style architecture, has become a popular destination for gamblers, offering 754 slot machines and 56 gaming tables. The casino is open daily, drawing over 100,000 visitors each month.

August 2024 saw a slight increase in activity at the temporary location, with nearly 125,000 admissions and more than $10.7 million in adjusted gross receipts. However, the temporary facility has yet to match the pace of Rivers Casino Des Plaines, Illinois’ top-grossing casino, which brought in nearly $520 million in the same 12-month period.

Bally’s Chicago operates under a three-year temporary license while construction continues on the permanent site. The company broke ground on the new facility in September 2023, starting with the demolition of the Freedom Center, the 43-year-old printing plant that once housed Tribune Publishing’s operations.