Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians, owner of Wind Creek Hospitality, has been named one of two finalists for the casino license in Chicago’s southern suburbs.
The tribe, which operates Wind Creek Bethlehem an five other Wind Creek casino properties, three Florida parimutuel properties and a casino in Carson City, Nevada, joins a bid by businessman Rob Miller and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as one of the two finalists for the project.
Representatives of the finalists made presentations last week to the Illinois Gaming Board, which will make the decision on this and five other new casinos authorized under a bill signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2019.
The proposal for Wind Creek Illinois, for the project known as Homewood East-Hazel Crest, is for a $440 million, 64,000-square-foot casino with a 21-story hotel.
“This development promises to be the best in and for the entire Southland region—with job creation, economic and community investment, sustained operational excellence, and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in all phases of construction and operation,” Wind Creek CEO Jay Dorris told the Associated Press.
Miller and the Choctaw tribe are proposing a $300 million venue known as Mateson, which would include a 123,000-square foot casino and a 200-room hotel.
The Homewood-East Hazel Crest contingent told the board the Wind Creek casino would attract more guests than Matteson, and correspondingly generate far more revenue for the state and local communities. Brent Pinkston, chief operating officer for Wind Creek Hospitality, said multiple independent studies show an easily accessible casino adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway will produce between $130 million and $140 million in additional state tax revenue over 20 years compared to the Matteson site.
“It presents the opportunity for getting some of those Indiana tax dollars,” Pinkston said, according to the NWI Times.
Wind Creek officials also said the Native American-owned company is committed to hiring minority- and women-owned firms to construct the casino and hotel tower, and pledged to hire a diverse workforce.
Matteson leaders, meanwhile, promoted the ability of their project to rejuvenate the massive Lincoln Mall site. Rob Miller, a veteran and managing member of South Suburban Development LLC, said he’s already inked tentative agreements for women and minority vendors to operate the food hall inside the Matteson casino. “These venues will ensure Matteson will offer much more than just a casino,” Miller said, according to The Times. “”We’ll provide an entertainment district that will benefit the entire south suburban region.”
The board is expected to make its decision early next year.
