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Stickney Aims to Get Illinois' Lone Casino License

On October 12th, 2008, suburban Stickney could become the location to Illinois' first ever racino if the Hawthorne Race Course horse racing track and its partners prevail over other bidders for the state's only available casino license. It marked the deadline for the Hawthorne group and other hoping to get the license to turn their bids.

The Illinois Gambling Board plans to release their list of all the prospective bidders, how much they are willing to shell out for the license and the locations of their proposed casino facilities. The Gaming Board plans to scale down the list to 3 finalists, who will then have the opportunity to improve their offers. A winning bidder should be named before the end of 2008. The Hawthorne bid shows a growing trend in the gaming industry: putting up casinos at horse tracks or dog tracks. Plans released by the track and their partners call for a hotel, eating establishments, a movie theater, bowling lounge, outdoor amphitheater and a water park to be part of the proposed Champions Casino and Resort.

Besides Stickney, suburbs expected to compete for the casino include Waukegan, Country Club Hills, Calumet City, Des Plaines and Rosemont. Emerald Casino Incorporated once managed the gambling license and had started constructing a casino facility in Rosemont in 2000. But the Gaming Board stopped construction and eventually revoked the gaming license because of allegations of mob ties and lying by Emerald. In 2004, the Isle of Capri Casinos outbid two other gaming organizations with a $518 million offer to keep the gaming license in Rosemont.

But Attorney General Lisa Madigan raised some questions regarding the agreement and a casino was never constructed. But those problems are now cleared up. But the gaming license is not expected to fetch near $518 million regardless of who will receive it because of the weakening economy, the high gambling tax rates of Illinois and the statewide smoking ban.

11/16/2008 07:20 PM

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