Waukegan, Illinois officials are awaiting the decision of the Illinois Gaming Board regarding which of three applicants will receive a casino gaming license. Waukegan was one of six new locations approved by the state
legislature for a casino last fall. The three applicants are Full House Resorts, North Point Casino and Midwest Gaming.
Midwest Gaming, owners of Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, includes both Rush Street Gaming and Churchill Downs, which owns 35 percent of Midwest, according to Rush Street spokesman Dennis Culloton. Churchill Downs operates the Kentucky Derby and owns Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights. During a July 30 earnings report conference call, Churchill Downs Chief Executive Officer Bill Carstanjen said the company did not want to turn Arlington Heights into a racino because he felt the property could become too valuable to remain a racetrack. However, Carstanjen indicated Waukegan could be a potential racino site.
Still, Culloton said Midwest has no plans for a racino in Waukegan. And Illinois Gaming Board spokesman Gene O’Shea said none of the three applicants are authorized to operate a racetrack in Illinois. In addition, Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said there is no location in the city with enough available land for a racino. “I understand a racetrack needs 130 to 140 acres. I don’t know if Waukegan has that sized a piece of real estate, or one that would become available in the future,” he said. Fountain
Square, the presumed casino location, is 28 acres.
Cunningham noted, “We’re not looking for just a casino. We’re looking for an entertainment complex which includes a casino. We want to have places for music, theater and casino gaming.” He said if the planning process moves forward, the entertainment complex including the casino could open in early 2022. “Our main focus is working with the operator who is approved for the license. From there, we will start the planning process with the city. We understand the gaming board is vetting them now.”
