American Place

History and Development

American Place is the Waukegan, Illinois casino undertaking of Full House Resorts, a publicly traded gaming company founded in 1987 by aviation entrepreneur Allen Paulson. The project came out of Illinois' landmark 2019 gaming expansion, signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker, which legalized sports betting and authorized six new casino licenses across the state, including one for Waukegan in Lake County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States by median household income.

Full House Resorts competed for the Waukegan license against several experienced operators. After the Waukegan City Council designated Full House Resorts as its preferred developer in 2021, and following subsequent approval by the Illinois Gaming Board, the company branded its Waukegan undertaking American Place and adopted a two-phase strategy: build a low-cost temporary casino to capture the market quickly while the full-scale resort is developed.

Phased Rollout

The first phase, The Temporary by American Place, opened on February 22, 2023. The transitional facility houses hundreds of slot machines, live dealer table games including blackjack and roulette, and a sports betting lounge. Company announcements at the time reported that the venue created on the order of 500 jobs. Within months of opening, the Temporary regularly ranked among the top-performing of Illinois' newer casinos in the Illinois Gaming Board's monthly revenue reports, drawing customers from Chicago's affluent northern suburbs.

The second phase is the permanent American Place resort, planned for a site near Waukegan's downtown lakefront. Full House Resorts has described the permanent destination as including a hotel, multiple dining venues, an entertainment space, and a gaming floor substantially larger than the temporary facility. Company statements and city officials have characterized the project as a transformative investment for Waukegan, expected to drive significant employment, tax revenue, and downtown revitalization.

Market Position

American Place operates in one of the most competitive regional gaming markets in the United States. It faces established neighbors such as Rivers Casino Des Plaines, consistently one of the highest-grossing casinos in the country outside Nevada, as well as Penn Entertainment's Hollywood Casino Aurora, which completed a major expansion of its own. The downtown Chicago casino market also competes for the same customer base. American Place's phased approach has made it a closely watched case study in casino development strategy, and its revenue performance is tracked closely by industry trade media including Yogonet, CDC Gaming Reports, and PlayIllinois.

Leadership and Oversight

Daniel R. Lee is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Full House Resorts, the parent company that develops and operates American Place. In that role, he is the most senior executive over the American Place project. He has led Full House Resorts' strategic expansion, including the successful pursuit and phased development of the Waukegan casino license, and has been the public face of the American Place project in company announcements and industry media.

Outlook

The permanent American Place resort is expected to replace the temporary facility and serve as the full realization of the American Place brand. Its planned hotel, restaurants, entertainment venues, and expanded gaming floor are positioned to make Waukegan a regional gaming and entertainment destination. The project remains closely tied to Full House Resorts' broader portfolio, and its ongoing construction and revenue performance will continue to be a key indicator of the company's growth in the Illinois market.