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.
The Illinois Gaming Board approved a request this month from Bally's Chicago to operate its temporary casino at Medinah Temple for an additional 12 months.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
But under the bill sponsored by state Sen. 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.
Still, following Bally’s lengthy negotiations to acquire the Chicago Tribune printing facility — and their ambitious construction timeline to transform it into a $1.34 billion casino — Cunningham said the flexible language in his bill "could be helpful to the casino project at some point." Regulators questioned Bally’s Chicago general manager Mark Wong about the tight deadline during a meeting last month.
Bally’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. Medinah has hosted more than 157,000 visitors since it opened to gamblers at 600 N. Wabash Ave. in early September. 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.
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