Bally’s Chicago Casino Marks One-Year Milestone, Celebrates Anniversary with Giveaways and Events


Bally’s Chicago Casino Marks One-Year Milestone, Celebrates Anniversary with Giveaways and Events


(CHICAGO, IL) – Bally’s Chicago Casino, voted Best Casino by Casino Player Magazine, celebrates its first anniversary of its temporary casino and its landmark year with exciting giveaways and events. Housed in the historic Medinah Temple, Bally’s Chicago Casino opened September 9, 2023, and quickly became one of highest visited attractions for both locals and tourists in Chicago, welcoming 1.3 million visitors.


“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, Bally’s Corporation. “We have engrained ourselves in the Chicago community and made our mark, achieved milestones that include graduating more than 200 students from our Dealer Training School, created more than 600 high-paying union jobs, hosted job fairs and vendor fairs, engaging hundreds of local businesses as future partners and began demolition to make way for our permanent location. We are thankful for everyone who has made this year possible, especially our local team, and look forward to continued growth over the coming year.”


The anniversary celebration follows the casino’s grand demolition event at the former Chicago Tribune Freedom Center site on

August 27, marking the beginning of work on the future permanent Bally’s Chicago Casino, and amid positive trends in August. Bally’s Chicago Casino surpassed July’s performance with Adjusted Gaming Revenue (AGR) of $10.7 million and Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) of $12.7 million, despite expected seasonal softness. Additionally, Bally’s Chicago Casino continued to grow its database with over 108,300 loyal Bally’s Reward Members and 124,753 admissions in August.


In its first year of operation, Bally's Chicago Casino had become a valued business, entertainment, and community partner in Chicago. With a significant number of current customers being tourists, the temporary casino laid a strong foundation for what will be a premier gaming and entertainment destination bridging the vibrant River North and West Loop areas and attract many of Chicago’s 50 million annual visitors.


Bally’s Chicago Casino elevated the player experience with a suite of new amenities designed to cater to guest’s needs. The introduction of the VIP Lounge enhanced the atmosphere for high rollers, a dedicated VIP Player Services window, and latest high-limit slot machines. Adding to the luxurious experience, complimentary Valet and Shuttle Services were introduced to VIP Bally Rewards Members, ensuring a seamless and indulgent visit from start to finish.


Bally’s Chicago Casino engaged in strong relationships within Chicago’s vibrant business community and is a proud and active member of many economic development organizations and initiatives as participants in the Greater River North Business Association Monthly Professional Exchange, fostering collaboration and growth among local businesses, attending networking events, and connecting with key stakeholders in the tourism industry to promote the city as a premier destination.


Bally’s Chicago Casino procured an active role in the community by supporting a variety of initiatives that enhanced residents' lives, including its participation in the Food Service campaign. The casino was also involved in numerous city-wide parades and events, such as the Aldermanic Black Caucus Scholarship Gala, Hyde Park’s 4th on 53rd Parade, Chinatown and Uptown Lunar New Year Celebrations, Equality Illinois' Annual Pride Parade, Little Village Chamber of Commerce events, Fiesta Del Sol, and Randolph Street Festivals. As a proud member of the Chicago Better Business Bureau, Choose Chicago, and Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Bally’s Chicago Casino was committed to fostering community connections. Additionally, the casino hosted a Diversity Supplier Vendor Fair to educate local vendors on how to engage in business opportunities with Bally’s Chicago.


Bally’s Chicago Casino was deeply committed to fostering strong relationships with both the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Fire Department, Illinois Gaming Agents, and Illinois State Police, to ensure a secure environment for visitors and residents. By working together, Bally’s Chicago Casino and local authorities are enhancing safety to ensure a thriving, secure environment for the community.


The investment in the Bally's Chicago Casino permanent facility will leverage the beauty of the urban Chicago riverfront to create a world-class destination. The future resort will feature a 500-room hotel tower, a 3,000-seat theater, six diverse restaurants, cafes, a food hall, and a 2-acre public park. The casino will include approximately 3,300 slots, 173 table games, and VIP gaming areas, along with an extended riverwalk connecting to the lower riverbank. The development is projected to generate about 3,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent positions, significantly contributing to Chicago's workforce.


The One Year Anniversary Celebration kicked off with many days of excitement and flair, including a $1 Million Anniversary Game Show. Two lucky finalists played for the chance to win the grand prize and were thrilled to walk away cash prizes. Bally's Rewards members celebrated with a commemorative cake, glamorous photo ops on a red carpet, along with a chance to win up to $5,000 in slot play or table bets. Additionally, all Bally Rewards members will receive a limited-edition anniversary T-shirt through September 13, while supplies last. Bally's Chicago Casino proudly partnered with local suppliers to create these unique T-shirts. The anniversary festivities mark a fantastic milestone and set the stage for many more celebrations to come!


For more details and event schedules, visit ballyschicago.com.


About Bally's Corporation 

Bally's Corporation is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence. It currently owns and manages 15 casinos across 10 states, a golf course in New York, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and has access to OSB licenses in 18 states. It also owns Bally's Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, online gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform.


With 10,600 employees, the Company's casino operations include approximately 15,300 slot machines, 580 table games and 3,800 hotel rooms. Upon completing the construction of a permanent casino facility in Chicago, IL, and a land-based casino near the Nittany Mall in State College, PA, Bally's will own and/or manage 16 casinos across 11 states. Bally’s also has rights to developable land in Las Vegas post the closure of the Tropicana. It shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BALY".


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