Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino Opens July 2024

WIND CREEK CHICAGO SOUTHLAND CASINO

17400 S. Halsted
East Hazel Crest, IL 60429

(866) 946-3360

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino will be $529 million casino in the South Suburbs area of Chicago featuring 1,300 slot machines, 56 table games, 3 restaurants, a 250-room hotel tower, a skyline lounge, and an entertainment center. The projected opening date is July 2024.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino 2024

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino

Wind Creek Chicago Southland will be a $529 million casino, hotel, restaurants and entertainment center. The casino will feature a 73,000 sq-ft gaming floor with 1,300 slot machines, 56 table games, 3 restaurants, 2 bars and a skyline lounge. The hotel tower will have 250 rooms with an indoor pool and spa.

Opening Date
The opening date for Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino is now July 2024. This date was revised in Nov. 2023 by casino officials. The date was moved up from January 1, 2023, which appreared in official documents signed by Wind Creek and the communities of East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

Casino Location
Address: 17400 S. Halsted, East Hazel Crest, IL 60429
The site is 24 acres located about 26 miles south of Chicago in East Hazel Crest and Homewood near Interstate 80/294.

Native American Owner
The casino is owned and managed by Wind Creek Hospitality, a gaming and hospitality company owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama. Wind Creek runs 10 gambling operations located in Alabama, Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Curacao in the Caribbean.

The U.S. casinos managed by Wind Creek Hospitality are Wind Creek Casino Atmore in Atmore, AL, Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA, Wind Creek Casino Montgomery in Montgomery, AL, Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka in Wetumpka, AL, and Wa She Shu in Gardnerville, NV.

News

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Opens in July 2024 March 15, 2024 - Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino could open as soon as July, according to Roger Kuehn, the casino's executive vice president and general manager. The hotel will open 5-6 months later ... Read more Wind Creek Chicago Southland | February 2024 Update February 23, 2024 - Wind Creek Chicago Southland is on-track to open in late summer 2024 according to the casino's employment website. This is the first confirmation since last November ... Read more Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino Revises Opening Date November 17, 2023 - The estimated opening date for the Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino has been revised to sometime next summer. A casino official says the opening date is now expected in the ... Read more Wind Creek Chicago Southland Construction Update - Oct. 2023 October 10, 2023 - Wind Creek Hospitality, the developer and operator of Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino, announced a major financial milestone this week. Wind Creek has received a ... Read more Wind Creek Chicago Delays Opening To 2025 July 13, 2023 - A recent disclosure in the development agreements between Wind Creek Chicago Southland and the communities of Homewood and East Hazel Crest reveal an opening date of January ... Read more Headlines continued...

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Features of Wind Creek Chicago

Gaming

Restaurants

Entertainment Center

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Hotel

Conference Center

History of Wind Creek Chicago Southland

The Illinois Gaming Board received four applications for a new casino in the South Suburbs of Chicagoland. One application was rejected for a Calumet City casino proposed by Bo Jackson and partners, and another was rejected for a Lynwood casino proposed by the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Two South Suburbs casino applicantions remain under consideration by the Illinois Gaming Board. One is proposed by Wind Creek Hospitality, which is owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (Alabama) and the other is proposed by the Choctaw Nation (Oklahoma).

The state gaming board will select one of these two candidates for the South Suburbs casino license:

• Wind Creek Chicago Southland
  Homewood-East Hazel Crest

• Choctaw Nation
  Matteson

The Illinois Gaming Board selected Wind Creek Chicago Southland in December 2022.

SOUTH SUBURBS IL CASINO FINALISTS

November 1, 2021

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Proposal

A rendering of proposed Wind Creek Chicago Southland.

Wind Creek plans include a casino, hotel, restaurants, bars and an entertainment center.

LOCATION: East Hazel Crest and Homewood

APPLICANT: Wind Creek Hospitality, a gaming and hospitality company owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama.

COST: $275 million

CASINO: 73,000 sq-ft casino, 1,300 slot machines, 56 table games, 3 restaurants, 2 bars and a skyline lounge.

HOTEL: 250 rooms with an indoor pool and spa.

AMENITIES: Entertainmnent center

Choctaw Proposal

An artist rendering of the Choctaw casino proposal.

The Choctaw plan includes a casino, hotel, restaurants, convention center and adjacent indoor golf and family entertainment centers.

LOCATION: Matteson at Lincoln Highway and Harlem Avenue

APPLICANT: Choctaw Nation

COST: $300 million

CASINO: 123,000 sq-ft, 2,000 slot machines, a high-end restaurant and a food court.

HOTEL: 200 rooms and convention center

AMENITIES: Indoor golf and family entertainment centers located adjacent to casino.

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Rebuild Illinois Law

August 9, 2019

Under the Rebuild Illinois Law enacted in June 2019 there will be two new casino gambling licenses issued in the South Suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. One license will be issued to a new casino and the other to a racetrack casino (racino).

• CASINO
  The townships specified for the casino are Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton or Worth. Four applicants submitted casino proposals. After eliminating two plans, the final selection is between a Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino proposal for Homewood-East Hazel Crest or a Choctaw Nation casino proposal for Matteson.

• RACINO (Racetrack with casino)
  The racino must be built in Orland, Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton or Worth. A proposal to build the racino at the former Balmoral Park in Crete Township will require an amendment.

The annual revenue of the casino is estimated at $150 million. Five percent will be shared by 43 local communities with 2% going to the hosting township and 3% split evenly amongst the other 42.

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News Articles

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Opens in July 2024

March 15, 2024

Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino could open as soon as July, according to Roger Kuehn, the casino's executive vice president and general manager. The 252-room, luxury hotel will open 5-6 months later.

Construction of Wind Creek Chicago Southland March 2024

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is a $529 million casino project located 20 miles south of Chicago at 17400 S. Halsted in East Hazel Crest, IL. The casino is near the Indiana state line, where it will compete for gaming revenues against four bearby Indiana casinos.

Hard Rock Casino in Gary will be the main competitor to Wind Creek Chicago Southland. Hard Rock is the most profitable casino in Indiana and is located only 12 miles away. However, Wind Creek General Manager Roger Kuehn is confident in the future and does not believe the casino market is over-saturated.

Wind Creek will have a hotel, which will be a major advantage over Hard Rock and Horseshoe Casino Hammond. Guests can stay in Wind Creek's AAA Four Diamonds hotel, which will offer 252 guest rooms, 53 suites, an indoor pool, fitness center and spa.

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is owned and managed by Wind Creek Hospitality, a gaming and hospitality company of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland | February 2024 Update

February 23, 2024

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is on-track to open in late summer 2024 according to the casino's employment website. This is the first confirmation since last November when casino officials revised the previous target date from Jan. 1, 2025 to this summer.

The photo below is an EarthCam photo of the construction progress at Wind Creek Chicago Southland. The photos are updated every 30 minutes. This specific photo was taken on Feb. 20, 2024.

Webcam Photo: Wind Creek Chicago Southland (Feb 10, 2024 - 9:52 AM)

Employment opportunities are starting to appear on the career page for Wind Creek Chicago Southland. Today's listings are:

Surveillance Technician
HR Coordinator
Casino Relationship Marketing Director
Training & Development Specialist
HRIS Specialist
Benefits Specialist
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Financial Controller
Director of Cage & Player Services

Information is online or at the employment office located at 17300 S. Halsted East Hazel Crest, IL 60429 (866) 946-3360

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is owned and managed by Wind Creek Hospitality, a gaming and hospitality company owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino Revises Opening Date

November 17, 2023

The estimated opening date for the Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino has been revised from Jan. 1, 2025 to sometime next summer. In an interview this week, Roger Kuehn, the Wind Creek executive vice president and general manager, said the opening date is now expected in the third quarter 2024

"It is still kind of a dart throw, but I would expect sometime in the third quarter of 2024. I think that is a fair timeline."

- Roger Kuehn, VP & GM Wind Creek

Last month Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino announced a new $290 funding loan to speed up construction and move the Jan. 1, 2025 opening date into 2024. That financial milestone, along with good weather, has moved construction closer to an enclosed, steel structure. The final steel framework is expected to be completed before winter.

In January the casino structure should be enclosed, and interior work will begin. Crews will install electrical and plumbing utilities, followed by computer systems. The casino will include a 73,000 square-foot gaming floor with 1,350 slot machines and 56 table games. There will be three restaurants, including a 13,000-square-foot buffet area, and a Skyline lounge.

The hotel will open a few months after the casino. Hotel construction has been reduced from 21 stories to 16 stories due to the high cost of steel.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland Construction Update - Oct. 2023

October 10, 2023

Wind Creek Hospitality, the developer and operator of Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino, announced a major financial milestone this week. Wind Creek has received a $290 million loan to continue construction from the PCI Gaming Authority. Both Wind Creek Hospitality and PCI Gaming Authority are owned by the Poarch Creek Indian Tribe of Alabama.

The new financing is expected to speed up construction and move the Wind Creek opening date into 2024. The previous completion date was Jan. 1, 2025, based on redevelopment agreements signed with East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

In another announcement, Wind Creek Chicago Southland has partnered with Chef Fabio Viviani to operate its restaurants and food services. These will include a steakhouse, food hall, banquet catering, and in-room dining service.

Construction of the 73,000 square-foot casino and the parking structure have been underway since the groundbreaking in June 2022. When finished, the casino will feature 1,350 slot machines, 56 table games and a sportsbook. There will also be 250-room hotel, a conference center, and an entertainment center.

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Wind Creek Chicago Delays Opening To 2025

July 13, 2023

A recent disclosure in the development agreements between Wind Creek Chicago Southland and the communities of Homewood and East Hazel Crest reveal an opening date of January 1, 2025. This is a pushback of nearly a year from the previous opening forecasted for early 2024. That date had been postponed from an earlier opening date of mid-2023.

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Construction - July 2023

Wind Creek has not confirmed the 2025 opening date. The casino's website simply says "coming soon". The development agreements define the Jan. 1, 2025 opening date as an "approximate" date that may be extended by the Wind Creek.

The Wind Creek Chicago casino will cost $529 million to build. The casino will feature a 69,190 sq-ft gaming floor with 1,350 slot machines, 56 table games and a sportsbook. There will be three reestaurants, an entertainment center, and a 252-room luxury hotel.

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is a corporate enterprise of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama.

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Wind Creek Chicago partners with Chicago Bulls

November 28, 2022

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino has signed a six-year partnership agreement with the Chicago Bull to be the team's "official casino". Wind Creek signage will immediately appear around United Center and on TV broadcasts.

"As a new brand coming to the Chicagoland market, we believed it was important to establish a name for ourselves and a level of credibility with the local market as quickly as possible."

- Brent Pinkston, Wind Creek COO

Wind Creek and the Bulls will collaborate on fan entertainment and in-game promotions in the coming weeks.

"We are excited to partner with Wind Creek over the next few seasons to bring fans new in-arena competitions, social content and sweepstakes."

- Mark Levitt, Bulls VP Bus. Dev.

Wind Creek Chicago Southland is scheduled to open in early 2024. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland celebrates groundbreaking

June 11, 2022

Last week a formal groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated by Wind Creek officials, Poarch Creek Indian leaders, and local officials marking the official start of construction of the Wind Creek Chicago Southland. The casino is scheduled to open in early 2024.

When Wind Creek Chicago Southland opens next year, it will feature a 73,000 sq-ft gaming floor with 1,300 slot machines and 56 table games, 3 restaurants, 2 bars and a skyline lounge, an entertainment center and a 252-room luxury hotel. The construction cost is estimated to be $529 million.

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Wind Creek Chicago Southland approved by Illinois Gaming Board

December 12, 2021

A new casino is coming to the south suburbs of Chicago. This week the Illinois Gaming Board selected Wind Creek Chicago Southland to build a casino resort in the East Hazel Crest and Homewood communities.

The new $529 million casino will feature 1,300 slot machines, 56 table games, and entertainment center and a 252-room hotel.

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WATCH NOW: Wind Creek Chicago Southland promotional video for Homewood casino - Courtesy of nwitimestv, Oct 14, 2021. Available from YouTube

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Which tribe will build Chicagoland's south suburban casino?

November 1, 2021

The Illinois Gaming Board has selected two applicants as finalists for Cook County's south suburban casino license. One of the finalists is the Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino proposal for Homewood-East Hazel Crest. The other is the Choctaw Nation casino proposal for Matteson.

The Board eliminated a casino proposal for Calumet City submitted by Bo Jackson and partners and also a Lynwood casino proposal submitted by the Ho-Chunk Nation.

A final selection for the south suburban casino license will be made in 2022. For summaries of the two proposals, click here.

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Choctaw casino plan for suburban Chicago receives unanimous local approval

October 26, 2019

On Oct.22 the Choctaw Nation's plan to develop a casino in Matteson was unanimously approved 6-0 the Matteson Village Board of Trustees.

The plan includes a casino, hotel, restaurants and a convention center located at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Harlem Avenue. In addition, the Choctaw Nation is partnering with two minority business enterprises (MBE) to build an indoor golf facility and a family entertainment facility next to the casino.

PROJECT SUMMARY

• Casino with 123,000-square-feet and 2,000 gaming positions
• High-end restaurant and a food hall
• Hotel with 200 guest rooms
• Convention center with 36,000 square feet for concerts, banquets and community use
• Adjacent indoor golf and family entertainment centers

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Choctaw Nation proposes suburban Chicago casino

October 24, 2019

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has presented a $300 million casino proposal to the Matteson Village Board.

The plan would build a casino complex in two phases. The first phase would construct a 123,000-square-foot casino with 2,000 gaming positions, an upscale restaurant and food hall. A second phase would follow at a later date that would include a 200-room hotel and 36,000-square-foot convention center.

The proposed location is 35 acres at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Harlem Avenue. The Choctaw have an option to purchase that land plus another 23 acres for future expansion. The site is easily accessed from I-57 and I-80.

If the proposal is approved by Matteson officials, it will be filed with the Illinois Gaming Board for review and a final decision. If the state board approves a casino license, the Matteson casino could open by spring 2022.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third largest Indian Nation in the United States. The tribe operates eight casinos and 15 smaller Indian gaming locations in Oklahoma.

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Wisconsin Tribe Proposes Suburban Chicago Casino

October 17, 2019

Ho-Chunk Nation has proposed building a $300 million commercial casino and hotel on land it owns in Lynwood, Illinois. It is the site of the Southland Center sports complex which sits on a total of 120 acres.

The proposal calls for four phases of construction:

PHASE 1: The Southland Center would be converted into a temporary casino.

PHASE 2: The casino and hotel would be built adjacent to the Southland Center. The hotel would offer 300 guest rooms, restaurants and bars.

PHASE 3: The temporary casino would revert back to the Southland Center and 15,000 square-feet of space would be added for a golf simulator, indoor climbing rock wall and racquetball courts.

PHASE 4: Boutique outlet stores would be added.

The plan has been approved by the Lynwood Village Board and will now go to the Illinois Gaming Board for the final licensing decision.

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Alabama Tribe Proposes Casino in South Suburbs of Chicago

October 8, 2019

A rendering of proposed casino complex, Courtesy of Wind Creek Hospitality

Wind Creek Hospitality, the gaming and hospitality company of Alabama's Poarch Creek Indians, has entered the bidding for one of two casino licenses to be issued in the South Suburbs of Chicago under the Rebuild Illinois Law enacted June 2019. The second gaming license will be issued to a racetrack.

The proposed $275 million casino would be built on a 24-acre site about 26 miles south of Chicago in the communities of East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

The first phase of construction would build a 73,000-square-foot casino with 1,300 slot machines and 56 table games. There would also be 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a skyline lounge and an entertainmnent center. The second phase would build a 251-room hotel with an indoor pool and spa.

Wind Creek Hospitality currently operates casinos in ten locations across Alabama, Pennsylvania, Florida, Nevada, Aruba and Curacao.

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News Headlines Continued

2022

Wind Creek Chicago Southland celebrates groundbreaking June 11, 2022 - Last week a formal groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated by Wind Creek officials, Poarch Creek Indian leaders, and local officials marking the official start of construction ... Read more Wind Creek Chicago partners with Chicago Bulls November 28, 2022 - Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino has signed a six-year partnership agreement with the Chicago Bull to be the team's "official casino". Wind Creek signage will soon appear at United Center ... Read more

2021

Wind Creek Chicago Southland approved by Illinois Gaming Board December 12, 2021 - A new casino is coming to the south suburbs of Chicago. This week the Illinois Gaming Board selected Wind Creek Chicago Southland to build a casino resort in the East Hazel ... Read more Which tribe will build Chicagoland's south suburban casino? November 1, 2021 - The Illinois Gaming Board has selected two applicants as finalists for Cook County's south suburban casino license. The finalists are the Choctaw Nation (OK) and the Poarch Indians (AL) ... Read more

2019

Choctaw Nation proposes suburban Chicago casino October 24, 2019 - Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has proposed a $300M casino, hotel and conference center to the Matteson Village Board near Chicago, Illinois. The 123,000-sq-ft casino would feature ... Read more Alabama Tribe Proposes Casino in South Suburbs of Chicago October 8, 2019 - Wind Creek Hospitality, the gaming and hospitality company of Alabama's Poarch Creek Indians, has proposed a $275M casino in the suburbs of East Hazel Crest and Homewood ... Read more Choctaw casino plan for suburban Chicago receives unanimous local approval October 26, 2019 - The Matteson Village Board of Trustees voted 6-0 to approve the Choctaw casino proposal to build a $300 million casino hotel in suburban Chicago. ... Read more Wisconsin Tribe Proposes Suburban Chicago Casino October 17, 2019 - The Wisconsin Ho-Chunk Nation proposes a $300M casino and hotel in south suburban Lynwood. The proposed location is 120 acres owned by the tribe and located east of Illinois 394 ... Read more