Chicago officials hold ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bally's temporary downtown casino

CHICAGO - Mayor Brandon Johnson joined other officials Tuesday to cut the ribbon to Bally's new temporary casino in Chicago.

The old Medinah Temple downtown now holds nearly 800 slot machines and 56 table games.

Johnson said the casino provides a lot of benefits for the city.

"Bally's has invested in Chicago every step of the way," Johnson said. "Bally's has invested in Chicago throughout this entire process. The temporary casino, check this out, has provided nearly 700 jobs for Chicagoans and Bally's works closely with the City Colleges of Chicago."

The city is banking on up to $50 million a year in tax revenue from Medinah Temple, which will serve as Bally’s temporary casino for three years while it builds a larger, permanent facility at the site of the Chicago Tribune printing plant in River West.

The casino is open 8 a.m. until 4 a.m. seven days a week and will eventually be a 24/7 operation, Bally’s said.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.