Bally's temporary casino on Chicago's North Side starts 24/7 operations Wednesday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For the first time since it opened in September, the Bally's temporary casino in River North is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, the casino is also extending parking hours and dining hours at a cafe inside.
The casino inside the historic Medinah Temple is also trying to up the ante when it comes to promotions for gamblers as the lights are on, and security at the doors. They're getting ready to welcome customers at all hours in River North.
Since September, the casino shut down between 4 and 8 a.m., but Bally's got the green light from the Illinois Gaming Board to begin operating 24/7 as of Wednesday, and to expand its marketing operations, a plan that also required approval from state regulators.
To draw more customers, Bally's is offering free or discounted parking, and a free hourly shuttle bus to and from Chinatown.
The Chinatown shuttle bus is the only one currently offered by Bally's. Community leaders there have concerns the casino is targeting one vulnerable community.
Bally's has said it plans to expand shuttle service to other parts of the city.
Meantime, some neighbors of the temporary casino in River North have expressed concerns about a 24-hour operation - worried about a potential for an increase in crime during the early hours, but others have said the potential for cash made from tax revenue that will go to shore up Chicago police and firefighter pensions is a good thing.
The Medinah Temple space has been outfitted with about 800 slots and 50 table games. It is expected to be open until 2026, when the permanent Bally's casino is expected to open in the River West neighborhood. Construction on the permanent casino is set to begin next summer.
