Grand Victoria awarded $27 million in lawsuit
A jury awarded four suburban casinos more than $80 million in a federal lawsuit that dates back to disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's time in office.
Under the order, the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin was awarded about $27 million in total damages and the Hollywood Casino in Aurora was awarded about $18.4 million. The two Joliet casinos were awarded the rest, according to court documents.
Attorneys are due in court again Thursday and could object to the decision this week, too.
The trial involved a pay-to-play deal alleged to have involved the now-imprisoned Blagojevich and racetrack executive John Johnston.
Illinois casinos sued to recover millions of dollars from Johnston's racetracks, Balmoral and Maywood.
The casinos paid millions in an effective tax imposed by the Blagojevich-era legislature. The money was 3 percent of the casinos' adjusted gross revenue and went to the financially struggling but politically well-connected tracks.
The jury in federal district court in Chicago on Monday awarded $26.3 million in damages, which then were tripled because the case fell under the civil racketeering statute.
"Their actions at the time resulted in us having to reduce our workforce, cut back our marketing spend, and defer capital improvements," said Eric Schippers, vice president for Penn National Gaming, which owns the Hollywood Casino.