Churchill Downs Incorporated announced plans to expand its jointly owned property with Rush Street Interactive – Rivers Casino Des Plaines in Illinois. With an $87 million price tag, the expansion plans to add gaming positions, a poker room, a new restaurant, and event space.
CDI Plans to Expand Rivers Casino Des Plaines
The industry-leading racing and online wagering company, Churchill Downs Incorporated, announced its plans for expansion of its Rivers Casino Des Plaines property. The property is jointly owned by CDI and Rush Street Gaming. The company filed expansion plans with the City of Des Plaines and Illinois Gaming Board on Wednesday. The expansion plans to add approximately 725 gaming positions to the property.
If approved, the expansion would make the Rivers property the first one to have the state’s maximum 2,000 gaming positions. Besides gaming positions, the expansion features adding a poker room, gaming areas, restaurant, and event ballroom.
The Expansion Plans to Add a New Restaurant, a Poker Room, and Event Space
Currently, the plan is subject to regulatory approval by the gaming regulator in Illinois. Furthermore, the City of Des Plaines must also approve the expansion. The official zoning process is expected to be launched by Rivers representatives later this month. If the expansion is approved, the construction may begin as early as this spring and end by spring 2022.
The price tag of the expansion is $87 million. If approved, the 78,000 square-foot expansion will be built between the casino building and the recently renovated parking garage located on the north side of the property.
The first floor of the new building will be used for the new restaurant. Furthermore, it will house slots and table games. A 24-table poker room will be positioned on the second floor. Besides, the second floor will feature a 10,000 square-foot ballroom for live entertainment and private events. Last but not least, there is also going to be a slot machine gaming area.
Management of the Two Companies Share Their Excitement
Corey Wise, SVP and general manager of Rivers Casino, said that the venue is the most popular casino destination in Illinois. Furthermore, he acknowledged that Rivers was the first casino to become land-based and expand its gaming floor. Additionally, Wise stressed that BetRivers was the first sportsbook in the state to provide online and mobile sports betting. In conclusion, he said that when the expansion is complete, Rivers is going to be the first casino in Illinois to offer 2,000 gaming positions.
“Rivers is Illinois’ most popular casino destination, and with this expansion we are continuing to focus on our guests to earn their loyalty.”
Corey Wise, SVP and general manager of Rivers Casino
Greg Carlin, co-founder and CEO of Rush Street Gaming, also shared his excitement in a statement. He acknowledged that the proposed expansion will offer guests additional entertainment and dining options. Furthermore, Carlin stressed that the proposal will bring a long-awaited poker room. He said that the venue has always offered a first-class experience for its guests. In conclusion, Carlin said that as the economy re-opens, the company is excited to raise the bar and provide guests with an even better experience.