Casino news source: Lake County News-Sun - http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com
Waukegan casino buoyed by legislature
May 31, 2007
By DAN MORAN DMORAN@SCN1.COM
WAUKEGAN -- The waiting game has begun once again in the effort to land a casino license for the city, with officials waiting to see what becomes of proposals and political maneuvering in Springfield before midnight Thursday.
On the phone from the heart of that waiting game, state Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, said only half-jokingly Tuesday that he can hear the earth movers starting to roll.
"Let's put it this way: By Thursday night, hopefully we'll have something passed on the governor's desk ready for him to sign," Link said, summing up Waukegan's prospects by adding that "right now, it looks better than it's ever looked."
But state Rep. Eddie Washington, D-Waukegan, cautioned the Legislature might simply run out of time to craft an acceptable gaming package amid everything else on the state's agenda before Thursday's witching hour.
"I don't see (gaming expansion) happening in and of itself, unless it's something committed to some other initiatives. And I don't think those initiatives are going to happen," said Washington, listing issues like education and health care ahead of the casino effort.
Washington -- who said some forecasts have the Legislature going into an overtime session that will stretch deep into the summer -- added that he feels this week's developments will hinge on what House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, will allow to move forward. Washington guessed Madigan "wants to make sure he's not shooting too high" on adding casinos to the Illinois roster.
Along with the Speaker, another key player in the current scenario is Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who expressed support last week for a $5 billion Senate-sponsored package that would create four new gaming licenses, including one for Waukegan.
Mayor Richard Hyde, who has kept vigil on this issue more than once, expressed his usual confidence that Waukegan will finally land a casino once the dust settles.
"I love it, I love it," Hyde said. "I think we're going to get it."
Echoing some elements of an Illinois House bill floated in February, the Senate version would award new licenses to Waukegan, Chicago, the south suburbs and a site to be named near O'Hare International Airport.
After the proposal first emerged out of a Senate committee last week, a final version passed through committee Tuesday, with Link saying that it cleared up concerns about such things as revenue for Chicago State University and bailouts for Emerald Casino investors.
"We've been working on it to make sure it's something that can be agreed upon by both the Senate and the House, and hopefully it will make it to the Senate floor (Wednesday)," Link said, adding that it could move through the House quickly "if both chambers are in agreement with it" ahead of time.
Asked to compare this week's prospects with March 2004 -- when Waukegan went before the Illinois Gaming Board as the high bidder for an open license -- Link said he feels "it's much better, because we control it."
Hyde said he thinks the state needs revenue badly enough to make something happen before the Legislature's deadline.
"I've said it for the last six or eight months now -- the governor needs money. And now his tax bill went down the tubes," said Hyde, referring to Blagojevich's proposed gross receipts tax on businesses.
"I'm positive this is going to go (through) the House, because the House is controlled by Democrats," Hyde added. "They've got to do it, because of Chicago ... This all hinges around politics."
The situation would have even more political players if nothing is approved before Thursday's deadline, since budget bills passed in an overtime session require a three-fifths majority vote rather than a simple majority. |
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