 Lawmakers have been pressing forward on legislation that would open
five new casinos, add slots at racetracks and allow the state's 10
currently operating riverboats to expand.State Rep. Lou Lang,
D-Skokie, on Wednesday unveiled an updated version of that plan that
would sweeten the pot for existing boats and require a massive
roll-out of new gambling opportunities before any of the new casinos
could be built.
Lang's legislation,
Senate Bill 737, is headed to the full Illinois House for a vote
as early as Thursday. He said the Senate has already OK'd the
"basics" of the proposal.
"This (legislation) as written will create about 50,000 new
jobs," Lang said. "It will create about $1 billion in revenues for
the state of Illinois and will provide about $1.3 billion in
one-time, upfront fees."
Lang is quick to say most of that $1.3 billion in upfront money
will go toward Illinois' $5 billion backlog of unpaid bills. He has
added other provisions that are aimed at current riverboat
operators, who oppose the gambling expansion plan.
"(The new additions) provide that our racetracks in Cook County
may relocate within three miles of their current location, under
certain conditions. It provides a $2 million renovation tax credit
to be utilized by all riverboats in the state of Illinois," Lang
said.
"The (legislation) provides that all of the (casinos) authorized
under this bill might build temporary facilities. Because we know
that it may take up to two years to build a new (casino). We want to
get the money flowing, we want to get people hired, we want to bring
in this money."
But those temporary sites would have to wait for Illinois' other
gambling expansion to get up and running first. Lang's legislation
requires that 2,000 video poker positions be opened before new
casinos are established.
Existing casinos also would see a tax sweetener under Lang's
legislation. The nine current riverboats and the one casino being
built in Des Plaines would receive a decade-long, 5 percent credit
to help offset any losses to the new casinos.
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Tom Swoik, director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association,
said Illinois' riverboats are already losing money because of the
sluggish economy and the smoking ban. He doesn't think adding more
casinos will turn that around.
"The projections that have been made (in this legislation)
indicate that the revenues for the state of Illinois would about
double. ... That means that almost every person gambling in the
state of Indiana is going to have to come over to the state of
Illinois (and gamble here). With the smoking ban, we don't believe
that is going to happen," said Swoik.
Traditional gambling opponents, Illinois Church Action on Alcohol
and Addiction Problems, are also lining up against Lang's latest
additions. Anita Bedell of the organization said Illinois' recent
history shows it is not ready for another gambling expansion.
"It's already taken a year and a half (to get video poker up and
running). The Gaming Board is understaffed. They don't have trained
staff," Bedell said. "If you want to rush the process, then you have
the possibility of having organized crime and problems with the
process in Illinois."
Bedell's group has long warned lawmakers against relying too
heavily on gambling dollars to get out of Illinois' budget deficit.
She said the expansion could put too many casinos in a state that
already has too much gambling.
Lang is cautiously confident in his additions to the gambling
expansion. He said he's written plenty of proposals during his time
at the Statehouse and said he believes he knows what will pass.
His plan will get its first test Thursday, as a vote is expected
before the end of the day.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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