Bally’s Chicago hosts 80,000 visitors in its first three weeks

It was a soft opening and just three weeks of gaming, but Bally’s Chicago is already the second-busiest casino in the state, according to September data released Friday by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Revenue, however, has a ways to go to catch the state’s more established casinos.

More than 80,000 visitors made their way into the Bally’s Chicago temporary facility at Medinah Temple during its inaugural month, topping every other venue but Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, which was once again the state’s busiest and top billing casino, according to Gaming Board data.

Bally’s Chicago, which opened Sept. 9, generated nearly $6.7 million in adjusted gross receipts — the money kept after winnings are paid out — which put it in the middle of the revenue pack among the state’s 15 casinos.

Rivers Casino led the way with nearly $41.5 million in adjusted gross receipts in September, down about $3.3 million from August, according to the Gaming Board data. Grand Victoria in Elgin was a distant second at about $12.4 million in adjusted gross receipts, followed by Harrah’s Joliet at nearly $11 million.

Statewide casino revenue was up $7.7 million for September with $132.1 million in adjusted gross receipts.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials Tuesday morning, Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim said the first few weeks of casino gaming were encouraging.

“It’s early days,” Soo told the Tribune after the event. “We’re still in the phase where we’re working out the kinks.”

Rhode Island-based Bally’s won a heated competition last year, besting four other proposals with its plan to build a $1.74 billion casino at the site of Tribune Publishing’s Freedom Center printing plant in River West. It plans to open the permanent casino in 2026.

Medinah Temple, a landmarked, 111-year-old Moorish-style amphitheater in River North, will serve as a temporary casino for up to three years while the permanent facility is built.

Bally’s Chicago renovated the 130,000-square-foot Medinah Temple, filling the three-story, block-long building on North Wabash Avenue with nearly 800 slot machines and 56 gaming tables, an expansive blue-lit center bar, two restaurants and a coffee shop.

On Tuesday morning, Bally’s Chicago was mostly empty after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with a handful of dealers standing at the ready behind a smattering of black-covered Bally’s poker and blackjack tables open on the second floor. None of the tables were open on the third floor, while the mass of slot machines were flashing idly across the casino.

Soo pointed to the “whispered offering” and traffic disruptions downtown as challenges during the shortened first month of operation. Bally’s Chicago has been “pleasantly surprised” by a younger than expected table game crowd, one of several encouraging signs at the casino, he said.

Other concerns with the Medinah site included the lack of on-site parking. Soo said Bally’s Chicago is exploring adding valet parking to make it easier for customers to come to the city’s first casino.

Getting the message out that Bally’s Chicago was open for business remains job one, Soo said.

“I think that this is a huge opportunity to introduce gaming to downtown,” Soo said. “I don’t think people historically think about downtown as a place you can do it. But once we sort of shift that perception, I think it’ll make a big difference.”

Bally’s Chicago is projected to generate $805.6 million in annual adjusted gross receipts by 2028. That would create nearly $246 million in annual revenue for the city by year six — assuming the permanent casino opens as scheduled in 2026.

The temporary casino, which was initially slated to open in June, was projected to generate more than $100 million in adjusted gross receipts this year. The city expected to receive nearly $70 million from the casino in 2023, including a one-time $40 million upfront payment from Bally’s.

With the launch pushed back to September, Bally’s is projecting between $15 million and $25 million in earnings for the temporary casino this year, according to an August investor presentation.

During September, Bally’s Chicago generated about $868,000 in state taxes and $695,000 in local taxes, according to Gaming Board data.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com