Temporary by American Place, a 93,000-square-foot facility, is Lake County’s first casino. The casino provides food services, and slot machines galore for a classic Vegas feel while juxtaposing a vibrant lakeside theme.
Lake County, Illinois’ first casino designed and built in 14 months
Full House Resorts set out to build a temporary casino in Waukegan, Illinois as fast as possible. The facility also needed to create a strong first impression, as it would pave the way for a future permanent casino.
The resulting Temporary by American Place, Lake County’s first casino, was designed in five months and built in nine. The 93,000-square-foot facility houses one thousand slot machines, fifty tables, a sportsbook, and three restaurants. It consists of three main components: the Sprung modular building (games and some foodservice components), Willscot Mobile Mini trailers (employees), and Kitchens To Go trailers (production kitchens).
The tight timeline required overcoming several logistical hurdles. These included fitting the facility on the site, which sat as an empty field for two decades after a shopping mall was demolished. Legat coordinated phasing and worked with the structural engineer to accelerate documentation during planning and zoning. We also worked with the client’s vendor to locate every component, from restaurant murals to the paddles on the ceiling in the gaming area.
Hanging from the ceiling throughout the rest of The Temporary are canoe paddles and leafy, forestry decorations. It provides a unique lake day combined with a Vegas-style casino atmosphere that I quite enjoyed.
