Wind Creek Chicago Southland — Local services in Thornton Township

It's nice to have a new place in the south suburbs! So many jobs and some much-needed tax contributions. Not impressed by this place...yet! It's easy to get to. Right off from the expressway. Parking is inadequate when it comes to handicapped parking spaces. There are less than 10 spaces closest to the door. The only other option is the garage which is a long walk back to the building or valet parking. (Not sure if there is a cost for it. ) As you go into the garage, there are lights to indicate if space is available, but no signage to direct you through the garage itself and no signs to indicate the way out of the garage or how to go further up to find additional spaces. When the hotel opens, I wonder if there will be enough parking.

Did I smell coffee? The first thing you see coming into the building from the garage is Starbucks. The smell of BBQ smoke quickly takes over. Soon you will see the food court. There's a grab-and-go burger and fries type of place, a buffet at least four other eateries. Except for the quick eats counter, everything closes at 10 pm. There is limited seating available so we wound up sitting in the area near one of the closed food sections. A person with mobility issues might find it difficult to navigate through that area. The staff behind the grab-and-go counter, our only option, were very friendly BUT none of the ladies had on hair nets or any sort of covering. They did use gloves. I had fries that were good and hot. My companion had a burger and she said it was tasty. The area was clean and well-attended by friendly staff. Entering into the casino itself is uneventful, but soon you see the lovely decor. It's a large floor with lots of machines. There were table games in an area that seemed a little crowded together, but other areas seemed a little empty. You'll find drink dispensers that have hot and cold beverages, help yourself. I didn't visit the washroom, but it was well attended by staff, so the facility should have been clean and tidy. There was what looked like a glam station, complete with rings lights, backdrops, and maybe a makeup person. 🤔 Not sure why that's needed but some board-looking staff members were waiting for someone to engage. Overall it was a fun experience, but if I had to choose one word to describe it, I have to say UNFINISHED! It looks very much like a work in progress. The hotel is not open yet, but we are looking forward to a girl's overnighter one day in the future. Every single staff member we encountered was friendly and made every attempt to be helpful. Since I now have mobility issues, everything is colored through that lens. The parking was a huge minus for me. Also, I didn't notice a coat check. One HUGE plus is that there is NO SMOKING!! Bad for those who smoke, but great for those of us who do not! Win or lose this place is an experience. Get a player's card for $20 in free slot play, and...

I visited 12/29 and had a lot of fun but have some opinions on how it can be improved. Granted, I know this casino just opened so it'll take some time for employees to get in the right flow. I'm also only used to Vegas casinos. This is the first casino I've ever been to in Illinois. I'll definitely be back again in the future though.

The smash burger part of the buffet was a bit disorganized. The wait was a bit long and there seemed to be some confusion on people's orders. I really think all they need to do is write down the orders on tickets and give them to the cooks and it will flow a lot faster and smoother. The food in general was alright but the buns seemed cheap and were personally not my favorite.

I think the ambiance felt like a little mini Vegas inside, but I think it's missing something to create more excitement, though I can't put my finger on what's missing. Every couple minutes a snippet of the electric slide would loudly play, which means someone won a jackpot, although I didn't understand why it kept playing over and over at first 😂 I've read reviews that people said the slots were way too tight, but I don't think they were too tight when I visited so maybe they adjusted that. Eventually I discovered the amount people win is on a big tv screen on the back wall. My dad won a good amount of money on a slot machine here which was awesome! I also appreciated the $20 free play when signing up for the rewards card! However this wasn't apparent to me until I sat down at a roulette table and people told me I could get that $20 for free, so maybe a more obvious sign near the entrance could be helpful. Speaking of the entrance, I don't understand why some people got ID'd while others didn't. It wasn't very obvious whether I was supposed to go up to the guy checking IDs or if I could just walk in. I ended up in a line to get mine checked while I watched my family just walk in, so it's unclear if I could've just walked in or not.

The parking situation is abysmal. My dad ended up in the employee parking garage line and had to embarrassingly back up many feet in order to turn around. This caused a line of cars behind us to also have to back up. The signs were very confusing and it wasn't obvious enough whether or not it was employee and valet parking because the signs were not lit up. Once we finally got into the right parking garage, it was confusing how to go up to the next level. We ended up at a dead end at one point and had to turn around. This could lead to car accidents inside and I wish it was more obvious what is a dead end and what direction is the right way to keep going up.

I'm really happy there's a casino here, and there's room for improvement but I'm definitely...

Here’s a formal complaint draft you can use to report the incident to Wind Creek Casino management or relevant authorities. It’s structured, detailed, and emphasizes the ADA compliance issue and discriminatory treatment:

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Discriminatory Treatment and ADA Violation at Wind Creek Casino Chicago

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a troubling and discriminatory experience I encountered at Wind Creek Casino in Chicago on [insert exact dates of visits].

On my first visit, I arrived with a personal wagon that is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Upon approaching the entrance, I was met by approximately ten security personnel, one of whom identified himself as “Smith.” He informed me that I could not enter the premises with the cart. I respectfully asked where I should place it, and was directed to valet services. Feeling uncertain but cooperative, I left the premises without further incident.

The following day, I returned with the same ADA-compliant cart and sought guidance from the female valet manager. She instructed me to leave the cart behind the valet desk. I followed her instructions and proceeded toward the entrance. At that point, Security Officer Smith again approached me and stated that I could not leave the cart in that location. I explained that valet had directed me to do so. He insisted I move it elsewhere but provided no clear alternative.

I returned to the valet manager for clarification, and she stated, “If they don’t want it there, we can’t keep it.” This contradictory guidance left me confused, frustrated, and feeling targeted. The lack of coordination between departments and the repeated refusal to accommodate my ADA-compliant mobility aid suggests a pattern of disregard for disabled patrons.

This experience was not only inconvenient—it was discriminatory. The inconsistent instructions, refusal to honor ADA compliance, and dismissive attitude of staff, particularly Security Officer Smith, reflect a continued effort to marginalize individuals with disabilities. The treatment I received was degrading and in direct violation of federal protections afforded under the ADA.

I request that Wind Creek Casino conduct a formal investigation into this matter, provide staff training on ADA compliance and disability sensitivity, and issue a written response outlining corrective actions. I am prepared to escalate this complaint to the Illinois Gaming Board and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil...