Illinois Gaming Board Finds Walker’s Bluff Casino ‘Preliminarily Suitable’ For License

The Illinois Gaming Board ( IGB ) has issued a preliminary, suitable andrdquo ruling to Walker & rsquo, s Bluff Casino.

Although it’s not a final approval, that & rsquo is an important first step in obtaining one. At a conference on Wednesday, the board made its decision.

The IGB has been notoriously slow in processing new casino applications. The 2019 gaming package allowed for six new casinos to be built in Illinois and — about halfway through 2021 — zero licenses have been handed out.

Only one other casino — the Hard Rock Casino Rockford — has already been found preliminarily suitable. That was in February, and Hard Rock still hasn’t received the final go-ahead.

However, for Walker & rsquo, s Bluff, getting to this point is important. Elite Casino Resorts, a business based in Iowa, is in charge of the job and has some ambitious intentions for the building.

What to know about the Bluff Casino in Walker & rsquo

Walker & rsquo, s Bluff Casino would be located in County of Williamson, which is in southern Illinois, in the unincorporated region. It & rsquo is roughly equal distance from the Kentucky and Missouri borders.

Elite Resorts is planning to open a casino, hotel, event center, pool and spa at the site. The resort would also feature more than 650 slot machines and 20 table games, as well as a sportsbook.

Elite Resorts is the lone applicant for the County of Williamson license. It currently owns three casinos in Iowa, but none in Illinois.

Elite Resorts had originally intended to construct the hospital in several stages. All will now be built simultaneously.

Dan Kehl, the CEO of Elite Casino Resorts, said:

& ldquo, We can now open the casino, hotel, spa, and all of our distinctive Elite amenities earlier thanks to the new proposed construction schedule, giving new guests a great first impression of Walker & rsquo’s Bluff Casino Resort. & rdquo,

Only Harrah & rsquo, s Metropolis is further south in Illinois than County of Williamson, so the Walker & racial and territorial project in Bluff would provide residents of that region with an additional casino option.

What about the other brand-new games in Illinois?

As previously mentioned, handing out new Illinois casino licenses has proven to be an arduous process.

In the preliminary stage, Walker & rsquo,s Bluff now joins Hard Rock Casino Rockford. However, following the 2019 games growth, no new licenses have been issued.

Six fresh casinos could be constructed in the Land of Lincoln thanks to the act. These are the designated areas:

• County of Williamson
• Rockford
• Waukegan
• Danville
• cities in the southern
• Chicago

Some applicants initially submitted their applications in October 2019. The IGB was supposed to respond to them within a month, but it has kept kicking the can in the wrong direction. It has occasionally held the aspirants responsible for the delays.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has already criticized the IGB for its slow process. And Chicago hasn’t even submitted an application yet.

Having said that, there does seem to be some action on the front of the novel game. Hard Rock and Walker & rsquo, as well as Bluff, can now be approved at any time.