(CHICAGO), August 25th, 2023—O’Rourke LLP client Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort has opened to the public as of Friday, August 25 at 12:00 PM following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:45 AM, marking a significant milestone in the entertainment landscape of Southern Illinois.
Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort is a ~$150 million investment creating a 190,000 square-foot facility at Walker’s Bluff Winery, previously owned by Cynde and the late David Bunch who originally brought this project to life. Inspired by the Las Vegas experience, Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort has 650 slot machines, 14 table games, a casino show lounge, a 113-room hotel, a full service salon and spa, three restaurants, a casino show lounge, a retail space and a cutting-edge sports lounge.
Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort is an Elite Casino Resorts property. Elite Casino Resorts is a leading regional gaming operator in the Midwest and a family-owned U.S. company known for operating premier casino resort destinations. Elite Casino Resorts operates three casino resorts in Iowa, one in South Dakota and a temporary casino with a full resort to come in Nebraska.
Partner Terence M. Dunleavy and the gaming team at O’Rourke have acted as regulatory counsel throughout the entirety of the process—from and before the origination and approval of all necessary gaming licenses for Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort and Elite Casino Resorts, and up to and through the soft opening of the Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort today, August 25th, 2023.