 State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said Monday that he is retooling the
latest gambling expansion package in Springfield to give a sweetener
to the nine casinos now open and the one being built in Des Plaines.
"There are going to be provisions in the (new legislation) that will
recognize that current gaming operators will have some problems as a
result of the smoking ban, as a result of the down economy and as a
result of the increased competition they are going to get under this
(plan)," Lang said. "We're going to provide some credits to them
that they are not getting today. We're going to provide some
opportunity for expansion. We're going to try and make their way a
little better."
Lang is not yet saying what lawmakers will do to make it "better"
for existing casinos, though he is quick to point out that the
basics of the Senate plan,
Senate Bill 737, will not change.
"New riverboat licenses, slot machines at racetracks, a
land-based casino in the city of Chicago... none of those are being
changed. But it's a 400-page (piece of legislation). There's a lot
of room in there for change," Lang said.
But there may not be many changes that will change the minds of
current casino operators or lawmakers who have a boat in their area.
Tom Swoik, director of the Illinois Casino Gaming and Gaming
Association, said that as long as the expansion plan's broad strokes
stay the same, his opposition won't change.
"We're not opposed to new casinos; it's just the number of new
casinos and gaming positions under this plan," he said. "It's too
much."
Swoik's own numbers paint a picture of Illinois brimming with
slot machines.
"Under this plan Illinois would have more gaming than Missouri,
Iowa and Indiana combined," Swoik said.
The Casino and Gaming Association has hinted that it may be
willing to back off its opposition if Illinois would exempt casinos
from the smoking ban. But Lang said that's a non-starter.
Without that give-and-take, Illinois lawmakers with casinos in
their home districts say it'll be tough for them to vote for the
expansion.
State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, is still waiting to see the
details of Lang's additions. But Beiser said he's reluctant to
support anything that could take away from his local boat.
"To me, it boils down to jobs," he said. "The boat in Alton is a
major employer in my area, and I need to protect those jobs. But
also the casino is a major piece of the city of Alton's budget."
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New casinos are not a worry for state Rep. Pat Verschoore,
D-Milan. He's more focused on what the legislation would mean for
the Quad City Downs racetrack.
"The new boats won't be here, they'll be in Chicago. ... The
Jumers Casino is doing a good bit of business," he said. "It's new
and doing well."
Verschoore said he could support a full slate of racing at the
Quad City track but added that the last plan he saw gave more weight
to off-track betting parlors than the horsemen.
Lang said his additions would give more to Illinois' staggering
horse racing industry. He says as many as 50,000 new jobs could be
created.
State Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, said that would be welcome
news in McHenry County.
"There are 11,000 workers in the horse racing industry today,"
Tryon said. "Then you have all of the farmers and other associated
job across the state. I think we need to do something to help them
all out."
Lawmakers "down here need to look at the total number of casinos
in this plan," Lang said. "They need to know the impact of this
proposal before they vote."
Lang said he expects to finish his changes in the next day or so
and hopes to have a vote on the legislation by the end of the week.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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