The Illinois Gaming Board today awarded its 10th casino license to Des Plaines

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Artist rendering of the proposed Des Plaines casino


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Des Plaines wins 10th casino license
By Rob Olmstead | Daily Herald Staff
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The Illinois Gaming Board today awarded its 10th casino license to Des Plaines, after a more-than decade-long legal battle that kept the license dormant.
The selection will puts a casino in the near Northwest suburbs for the first time. The closest other gaming site is in Elgin, and is currently the state's biggest tax-earning casino.
The city's win comes after officials sweetened their bid. In the last round of public bidding, Rosemont led in terms of dollars, with the company seeking the casino, Trilliant Gaming, offering $435 million upfront. Des Plaines' casino-seeker, Midwest Gaming, offered $100 million upfront, and Waukegan's bidder had offered $225.
But after those initial public bids, the horse-trading with the gaming board began in earnest behind closed doors.
Des Plaines city leaders offered to forego some of their local tax dollar receipts and instead give the money to the state in an effort to land the casino.
The initial agreement on how to split up the city's share of gaming tax revenue called for giving the state $94 million over 11 years, with a present estimated value of $65 million.
The new agreement called for giving $300 million to the state over 30 years, with a present estimated value of $125 million.
The agreement also calls for upping the payments to disadvantaged communities to address one of the stated goals of granting casino licenses: to aid economically disadvantaged areas.
Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia said Monday he was sure his city would get the license all along.
"I told other mayors, pretty much anyone who was around me, that I was pretty confident," he said. "If you're expecting a lot of people, we're the best location."
Arredia expects construction on the casino to begin soon and that it will take about 16 months to complete.
"So the first phase could be open in late 2010," he said. "I expect the second place that will include restaurants and shops will begin a little later."
Elgin Mayor Ed Schock, in contrast, called the gaming board's decision "bizarre," especially when he and other affected mayors testified that a Des Plaines casino would "cannibalize" profits from riverboats in Elgin and Aurora.
"It just doesn't make sense, it's not a question of sour grapes, it just doesn't make sense, from any point of view," Schock said.
He predicts that the Grand Victoria Riverboat Casino, which has already seen the drop fall between 20 and 25 percent due to the smoking ban and sputtering economy, could take another nosedive - as much as 25 percent - since many gamblers will no longer make the drive to Elgin, if Des Plaines is closer.
A better idea, Schock said, would have been if the gaming board approved a license in Waukegan. This would have drawn customers from Lake County, McHenry County and brought in new gamblers from Wisconsin, he said. The award comes after Rosemont was initially supposed to receive a casino back in 1995. But Illinois Gaming Board investigators derailed that project after it was found that secret Emerald Casino investors had ties to the mob. That touched off a legal battle which culminated in Emerald having its license revoked and ensuing court battles that didn't end until late 2007.
During the fight, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan alleged that Rosemont and its late mayor, Don Stephens, both appeared to have links to organized crime. Stephens went to his grave in April 2007 denying the charges, but Madigan continued to express reservations about Rosemont even after the town again made the final three in this latest license auction.
Revenue from a casino would double what Des Plaines currently is able to spend each year on capital projects, according to the city's analysis. Inflation could increase the take over the years.
Arredia wants that money to go to flood prevention projects, he said.
 

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Interesting. Waukegan would have been a great location too.

Funny seeing the casinos saying profits are down because of non-smoking. Its the economy, nothing more.
 

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FW.. smoking had a big effect, players step outside and away from slots and tables... that means their wallet is in their pocket more often and they are outside smoking.. Plus people elect to go to wisconsin or indy over Illinois casinos
 

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FW.. smoking had a big effect, players step outside and away from slots and tables... that means their wallet is in their pocket more often and they are outside smoking.. Plus people elect to go to wisconsin or indy over Illinois casinos

Someone who lives in the western suburbs is going to Indiana to gamble because of the smoking? What about the people who go because of the non-smoking?
 

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you won't see me at any of the boats anytime soon, but I rub elbows with guys that dont mind shooting over to horseshoe, or Majestic opposed to anyplace in Aurora
but there are those that do prefer non-smoking I'm sure, but I'm not disagreeing with you the economy is to blame. I read the article in the trib about several states and illinois as a comparison
 

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http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/01/des-plaines-casino-plan-advances.html

Des Plaines casino plan advances

<ABBR class=published title=2010-01-26T12:05:32-06:00>January 26, 2010 12:05 PM</ABBR> | No Comments

The Des Plaines City Council is expected to vote Feb. 16 for a preliminary site plan and zoning changes to bring in a casino, the 10th and last one allowed in Illinois under state law.

On Monday, the city's Plan Commission unanimously approved preliminary plans and rezoning for a Midwest Gaming and Entertainment LLC casino on 21 acres at the northwest corner of Devon Avenue and Des Plaines River Road.
The project's first phase -- the one-story, 140,000-square-foot casino building and a four-level parking garage with 1,242 spaces -- is expected to be completed by late summer or fall of next year, said Des Plaines Senior Planner Scott Mangum. The developer's Web site says 1,200 slot machines and table games are planned.
The second phase would be two hotel towers, 11 and 15 stories tall, and more parking. There is no hard date to complete that phase, Mangum said.
The Plan Commission approved the creation of a new casino district and changes to the zoning and subdividing of the property to pave the way for the casino.
Midwest has contracts to buy all the property at the site, he said. Several office buildings on the property would be demolished.
-- Ken Manson
 

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Someone who lives in the western suburbs is going to Indiana to gamble because of the smoking? What about the people who go because of the non-smoking?

in oklahoma, there's an ashtray on every machine. that's usually how i time myself -- sit down, light one up, and start spinning. when the cigarette's done, it's on to the next machine and repeat the process.

i don't go often, but if it was non smoking i would not stay near as long when i went
 

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http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110617/news/706179893/

6/17/2011

Article updated: 6/17/2011 2:50 PM
A look at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines

By
Odds of finding a place to gamble will get better next month for residents of the Northwest suburbs when the new Rivers Casino opens in Des Plaines.

The new $400 million casino at River Road and Devon Avenue in Des Plaines will employ 1,000 people. Featuring more than 1,000 slot machines and table games that surround the sophisticated Lotus Lounge, Rivers Casino will offer some of the highest table game limits in the country, with a plush high-limit VIP area including an intimate private gaming salon.

The casino will also feature restaurants from the upscale Hugo’s Frog Bar and Chop House to the casual grill FLIPT, which serves freshly made burgers, sandwiches, fries and shakes. A buffet, Asian noodle shop and coffee shop are also planned.

The Cube is a multipurpose venue that transforms from a sports bar to a live performance venue or nightclub, featuring a state-of-the-art A/V system and LED backdrop screens.
 

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This will do huge numbers. All Chicago needs is one downtown.
 

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http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8244497


Local
Des Plaines casino puts on its game face
Updated at 05:33 PM today
July 11, 2011 (DES PLAINES, Ill.) (WLS) -- With just one week before Rivers Casino opens in Des Plaines, the machines and employees are ready. Are the customers?

Des Plaines got the state's 10th casino license, which was frozen in litigation for a decade. But now, Rivers Casino, www.riverscasino.net/, is focusing on the fun: the facility will have a 147,000 square foot casino, several restaurants and an entertainment complex.

"You know you're never not nervous about it," Bill Keena, the casino's general manager, said Monday. He's more concerned about what will be. "We're gonna throw a wide net. We have to have a product that will appeal to the masses and as time goes on we can find our target market. It's a work in progress."

That's the challenge for a new casino, which doesn't yet have a database of customers. Who are they? Where do they come from? What'll they spend?

Because of its location and a powerful nearby hotel presence, one early estimate is that the Rivers Casino will generate $150 million in taxes for the state every year. What is has generated already are jobs -- more than 1,000 mostly full, but some part-time, jobs. A bit less than a third of those jobs are in food service - a bread and butter staple of every casino. Chef William McIlroy oversees half a dozen different dining venues, but confesses, he's a devoted burger guy.

"We've tried our own blend. We've got it down pat. It's a special weave and technique. It's proprietary," Chef William McIlroy said. "No not gonna tell you. It's really good though.'

When Midwest Gaming broke ground for the casino 15 months ago, there were no announced plans for new casino licenses, slots at racetracks or the airports, but there are now. And that raises questions about cannibalization, and just how many gambling dollars are out there.

"We're not gonna worry about the other competitors. We're gonna go out and be aggressive as we can and make sure that wide net gets to the customers here and delivers on customer service and gives a reason for customers who come here to come back," Keena said.
 

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