Hollywood Casino Joliet continued to gain ground in September, its first full month in its new $185 million land-based facility. Meanwhile, the fortunes of nearby riverboat casinos may be sinking, with monthly revenues dropping.
The new Joliet casino, which opened in August, generated more than $11.2 million in adjusted gross receipts last month, ranking fourth in revenue among the state’s 17 casinos, according to Illinois Gaming Board data. That’s up 48% year-over-year, when Hollywood Casino Joliet was an aging vessel docked on the Des Plaines River.
Admissions to Hollywood Casino Joliet topped 96,000 for September, ranking fifth in the state and up nearly 75% over last year, according to Gaming Board data.
But overall casino activity in Illinois was less robust, with monthly declines in revenue and admissions from August. The state’s 17 casinos generated $158 million in revenue and welcomed 1.3 million visitors in September, both numbers down nearly 10% month-over-month.
Rivers Casino Des Plaines was once again the state’s top casino in September at $41 million in revenue, followed by Wind Creek Chicago Southland at $16 million and Hard Rock Rockford at $12 million. Bally’s Chicago ranked fifth at $11 million behind Hollywood Casino Joliet, according to Gaming Board data.
The new Hollywood Joliet, which features 1,000 slots, 43 table games, a new retail sportsbook, a 10,000-square-foot event center and celebrity chef restaurants, might have taken a bite out of some of its regional competitors.
Harrah’s Joliet Casino, for example, which still floats on the Des Plaines River, saw revenue plunge by $3 million in September, a 27% month-over-month decline.
Meanwhile, Hollywood Casino Aurora saw revenue drop by $1.5 million in September to about $7.9 million, a nearly 16% decline. Co-owned by Penn Entertainment, the sister casino to Hollywood Joliet remains docked on the Fox River and is opening its own $360 million land-based entertainment complex in Aurora next year.
New casinos have proved a big draw in Illinois. Wind Creek in south suburban East Hazel Crest, which opened its 70,000-square-foot casino in November and added an adjacent hotel in April, is the second-busiest casino in the state this year behind perennial leader Rivers Casino.
Hard Rock Casino Rockford, which opened its 175,000-square-foot facility in August 2024 after nearly three years in temporary digs, is the third busiest casino in Illinois. One year after opening, Hard Rock is looking to add a hotel as well.
Several new land-based casinos are in the development pipeline.
Bally’s Chicago, which has been operating a temporary casino at Medinah Temple for two years, is building a $1.7 billion complex at the 30-acre site of the former Chicago Tribune printing plant.
The permanent Bally’s Chicago casino is scheduled to open by the fourth quarter of 2026.
Full House Resorts is expected to break ground this fall on its permanent American Place casino in Waukegan, which is slated to open in the third quarter of 2027. American Place has been operating out of a temporary facility since February 2023.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
