In a 33-24 vote, the Illinois Senate recently passed Senate Bill 7, which would expand gambling in the state with slots at racetracks, a city-owned casino in Chicago and casinos in Rockford, Danville, Lake County, Chicago and the south Chicago suburbs. Supporters said the legislation would generate more than 0 million in annual revenue. It now moves to the House of Representatives.
Governor Bruce Rauner said he would support the bill if it’s part of the “grand bargain” legislative package that would end the state’s two-year budget impasse. All of the measures must pass, or none will. Rauner stated, “There is a grand bargain being negotiated. I believe new revenues through the casino are part of that grand bargain, and I’ve said I’m open to whatever package can move the needle to a balanced budget, and I’ve said I’m open to local control. So the answer is, if that came as part of a package, I could be supportive of that.”
The Illinois Senate has approved nine pieces of the grand bargain, and has sent seven of them to the House, mainly with Democratic votes. Observers said the gambling bill will face a significant challenge in the House.
The Senate also approved a measure permitting the Illinois Racing Board to direct $500,000 from its budget to purses at the state’s racetracks. The state’s major harness racing tracks, Balmoral Park and Maywood Park, both closed last year, resulting in fewer administrative duties and extra funds for the IRB. The House also must approve the bill.
Meanwhile, developer Chris Stone, head of EMS Midwest LLC and chief executive officer of the medical marijuana dispensary HCI Alternatives, has proposed building a casino in downtown Springfield, the state capital. His concept includes 1,200 slots and table games that would generate $150-$175 million in annual revenue and create up to 800 jobs. Stone said, “We need to start thinking outside the box, and we need to start really, really fast.”
The Senate bill did not include a Springfield casino. State Senator Terry Link, sponsor of the gambling bill, said, “We would have a trailer bill indicating some other amendments that we would like. There’s got to be a lot of agreements met before that’s even put in a trailer bill. We would rather have a clean bill for the governor’s desk.” Link said a Springfield casino and other additions could be done as a separate piece of legislation. “Everybody and their cousin has got an amendment for something,” he stated.
Stone said even if the gaming bill is unsuccessful once again, he will have achieved his goal of floating the idea of a Springfield casino. “At least we introduced the subject in order to have it be included in a November discussion or spring 2018 discussion,” he said.
