Bally's Casino “On Track” To Open Permanent Casino by 2026

Last September, Bally’s Chicago casino had its grand opening. They are currently set up at the historic Medinah Temple. According to figures from April, it was the first month-over-month decline since they opened. Figures from the Illinois Gaming Board noted that Bally’s Chicago dipped 7% to around $10.4 million. Additionally, visits to the casino dropped by 4% in April as well according to the Chicago Tribune. 

In April, Illinois saw its statewide casino revenue take a hit. Revenue dropped 10% to $137 million. That’s less than the $152 million they saw in March 2024. Bally’s Chicago VP and General Manager Mark Wong said that April was their second-highest revenue per day and second-highest admissions since opening in September 2023. Bally’s is trying to focus on the positives like outpacing some of the larger competitors in their market.

Bally’s Chicago is “on track” to open a permanent casino by 2026

Bally’s permanent casino in Chicago is planned to open in River West in 2026. Demolition and site prep is ready to start happening this July. An exciting time for Bally’s and residents of Chicago who will have access to this brand new state-of-the-art casino. Along with the new casino opening sometime in 2026, Bally’s is looking to add new additions for their customers. That includes valet parking and a brand-new VIP lounge. 

General Manager Mark Wong was happy with the numbers they saw in April and Bally’s will make adjustments this summer. With all this going on, there are other uncertainties within Bally’s. It has to do with their financial stability. They have $169 million in cash available and a debt of $3.6 billion as of the first quarter. Does Bally’s expect their Chicago casino to help cut into the debt they’ve built up? Additionally, they have a buyout offer on the table from their largest shareholder. Several questions need to be answered for Bally’s to see how much longer they can continue to operate with all the debt they’ve piled up.