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Lake Zurich American Legion post opening to public

With a full village liquor license in hand and state approval for video gambling machines pending, Lake Zurich American Legion members plan to open their hall to the public every day for the first time.

American Legion Post 964 Cmdr. Richard Johnson said members hope to generate enough money from daily bar service and video gambling to restart the post's community philanthropic efforts and have additional funds to pay for the organization's expenses, such as building maintenance and repairs.

Johnson said a lack of money led to the post's philanthropic fund ending three or four years ago. For example, he said, the post again would like to pay for Lake Zurich-area high school juniors to attend the annual American Legion Boys and Girls State, a youth leadership program that offers workshops and firsthand experiences for the teenagers to learn citizenship and government workings.

In addition, Johnson said, the post wants to resume programs that include Lake Zurich Unit District 95 students.

"We're not making money," Johnson said. "We'll be giving it away. We'll keep some to run the post."

An example of potential video gambling revenue for the Lake Zurich post is in nearby Wauconda. After the state and Wauconda received their shares of revenue distributed from January 2013 to February 2015, nearly $632,000 was left for American Legion Post 911 and a terminal operator to split, according to Illinois Gaming Board reports. The Wauconda post is open to the public.

Lake Zurich Post 964 has been restricted to members, their guests and those who rent the organization's hall since it received its permanent charter in March 1948. Johnson said it was decided the post had to open to the public for light food and drinks seven days a week, because the roughly 200 members and guests may not be enough to generate adequate income from a planned five gambling devices.

Johnson and Post 964 officer Tom Marciciak said converting to public bar service for a seven-day-a-week operation is comparable to starting a new business. It won't be enough to have a volunteer pouring drinks.

"We're talking about hiring employees, hiring bartenders, bar managers," Marciciak said.

Lake Zurich village board trustees approved the post's full liquor license this week. Provided the state approves the gambling license soon, Johnson said, the goal would be for the public operation to start in late April.

Video gaming is permitted in bars, restaurants, truck stops and fraternal orders in communities where it has been approved. Each establishment is limited to five machines, and they must be in areas accessible only to people at least 21 years old.

Five percent of net revenue goes to a municipality and 25 percent to the state, with the terminal operator and licensed establishment splitting the remainder.

Post 964 representatives were among proponents of the Lake Zurich village board's reversal of a video gambling ban in 2014.

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  Lake Zurich American Legion Post 964's commander says late April is the goal for when the organization's hall at 51 Lions Drive would open to the public every day with video gaming and bar service. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
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