Highly Anticipated South Suburban Casino in Illinois Sets New Opening Date

Wind Creek Hospitality, the developer behind the much-anticipated south suburban casino in Illinois, has revealed a new January 1, 2025 opening date. This update comes after the East Hazel Crest and Homewood suburbs recently signed redevelopment agreements. The Chicago Southland Casino’s initial completion date was slated for later this year or early 2024, but the revised timeline predicts a several-month delay.

Large Casino and Hotel Complex The casino and hotel project, located southwest of the Interstate 80 and Halsted Street interchange, will include a 73,000-square-foot casino on property within East Hazel Crest, as well as parking garages on nearby ground in Homewood. Wind Creek Hospitality has budgeted $529 million for the entire project, which includes site purchase, building, and licensing expenses.

Following permission from Illinois gaming officials, the casino and hotel complex began construction in September of last year and will contain a 75,000-square-foot entertainment facility and a 252-room hotel. Wind Creek Hospitality intends for the casino to eventually feature 1,350 slot machines and 56 table games.

While the redevelopment agreements indicate a fall 2024 completion date for the casino, Wind Creek Hospitality representatives have not specified a firm date. The stated launch date of January 1, 2025 is an estimate that could be extended or delayed.

During the development phase, the casino project is planned to provide roughly 600 construction jobs, benefiting the local population and economy. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate approximately 800 permanent jobs.

Mayor Rich Hofeld of Homewood expressed confidence in the construction progress, stating, “It’s proceeding on course.” However, he acknowledged the desire for an expedited completion, adding, “It would be nice to have it done tomorrow.”

According to state law, the casino’s gaming earnings will be divided among the participating south suburban towns, including Homewood and East Hazel Crest.

Furthermore, both villages have been asked to support a motion requesting a tax exemption from the Cook County Board for the casino. This tax relief, under a Class 8 status, would drastically reduce the project’s property tax assessment level.

Wind Creek’s proposed budget includes provisions for TIF reimbursement, which will pay expenses such as land acquisition and site improvements. The TIF money would be distributed over a 20-year period as property tax revenue from the development increased. However, neither municipality is required to recover these costs from general revenue dollars.

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