Connect News Commercial Real Estate news for every market and every facet, every day.
Connect CRE Events Live and virtual events bringing together the best of information and networking.
CRE Industry Events Live industry events.
Connect Creative A full service marketing and PR agency.
Connect Classroom Offering CRE focused continuing education courses on demand.
ApartmentBuildings.com Is a dynamic platform to search for, list and promote multifamily listings nationwide.
Connect Awards View the A-list of commercial real estate & submit nominations.
Connect Media Kit Advertise, Promote, Attend, Create – Work with Connect.
Loantuitive Find the right lender for your loan.
About Connect Meet the team behind the machine and taste a little of the secret sauce.
Connect News

Your source for daily news covering CRE transactions and trends. Stay informed on national, regional and property sector news that matters to your business.

Connect Classroom

Offering on-demand online courses that provide continuing education credits for brokers, attorneys, appraisers and architects. Select from easily accessible video and written courses that cover a variety of CRE topics.

Find Your Course
High-rise commercial buildings

STAY INFORMED

News when you need it. All our Breaking News, right to your inbox.

Sub Markets

Property Sectors

Topics

Chicago & Midwest CRE News In Your Inbox.

Sign up for Connect emails to stay informed with CRE stories that are 150 words or less.

Chicago & Midwest  + Downtown  + Hospitality  |  February 9, 2023
The Illinois Gaming Board has signed off on initial licenses for the owner of the Medinah Temple, which will serve as a temporary Chicago casino for Bally's Corporation
Paul Bubny
By: Paul Bubny

Illinois Gaming Board Clears Path for Temporary Bally’s Casino at Medinah Temple

The Illinois Gaming Board unanimously approved initial supplier licenses for the owner of the historic Medinah Temple at 600 N. Wabash Ave. in River North, which is slated to serve as Bally’s temporary casino for at least two years while the Rhode Island company builds its permanent structure at Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street in River West.  

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the board gave the OK to Medinah Building LLC, an entity representing the site’s physical structure, and Medinah Holdings LLC, which covers the land where it sits. Both are controlled by locally based Friedman Properties. 

State regulators are still evaluating Bally’s overall casino proposal, which was submitted last August, reported the Sun-Times. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said she wants the temporary casino at the vacant 110-year-old Medinah Temple up and running by early this summer. 

Rendering courtesy of STL Architects.

Connect

Inside The Story

Freidman Properties

About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 16-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 7-10 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).
Order Reprints
  • ◦Policy/Gov't