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Wind Creek Hospitality, local officials break ground on East Hazel Crest/Homewood casino

Last week, representatives from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Wind Creek Hospitality marked the start of construction and celebrated local leaders who provided support to the project throughout the application process. 

The casino, slated to open in 2023, will be built directly just north of the intersection of Halsted and 175th streets, with portions of the project in East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

Leadership from the Poarch Creek Indians, PCI Gaming and Wind Creek Hospitality were joined by members of East Hazel Crest and Homewood governments, elected officials, construction and community partners to celebrate the start of construction for Wind Creek Chicago Southland. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

“Wind Creek doesn’t just build casinos, we truly build communities,” said Stephanie Bryan, tribal chair and CEO of the Poarch Creek Indians.

“We’re so very thankful for the support of community leaders, local organizations and residents of the South Suburbs who helped get us to this point – and look forward to working with you to ensure that the benefits associated with this project are experienced by the entire region.”

Those passing by the site should begin seeing a flurry of construction activity in the coming days and weeks.

Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld, left, and East Hazel Crest Mayor Tom Brown, right, prepare for the ceremonial groundbreaking of Wind Creek Casino. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

Wind Creek Chicago Southland, a 70,000-square-foot casino, will feature 1,350 slot machines, 56 table games, entertainment, dining, a 252-room luxury hotel, and will bring approximately 800 good paying jobs to the region. 

In addition, the project will create approximately 600 construction jobs. Revenues will be shared with the state of Illinois and surrounding south suburban townships.

The casino, slated to open in 2023, will be built directly just north of the intersection of Halsted and 175th streets, with portions of the project in East Hazel Crest and Homewood. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

“Our commitment to this community has already begun and will only be strengthened as we move our focus to job creation and finalizing the details of the Southland Public Benefit Fund,” said Jay Dorris, president and CEO, Wind Creek Hospitality.

“People across the Southland have been waiting for this casino and the community investment that comes along with it, and we’re happy to be taking concrete steps to see this dream realized.”

Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld and East Hazel Crest Village President Thomas Brown (second and third from left), stand with (from left) Arthur Mothershed, Executive Vice President of Business Development for Wind Creek Hospitality; Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of Poarch Creek Indians; Charlotte Meckel, Tribal Council of Poarch Creek Indians; Westly Woodruff, Vice-Chairman at PCI Gaming Board of Directors; and Tim Manning, Chairman of the PCI Gaming Board of Directors. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

Wind Creek, East Hazel Crest and Homewood will contribute to the Southland Public Benefit Fund. The Fund will distribute $150,000 per year for the first five years of operation to provide scholarships for disadvantaged students and health services for the south suburban region through partnerships with South Suburban College, Prairie State College, Moraine Valley Community College, the Ingalls Development Foundation and Advocate South Suburban Hospital. 

Once the Fund corpus reaches $20 million, the Fund will distribute $1,000,000 annually.

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