The Illinois Gaming Board toured casino sites in Des Plaines, Rosemont and Waukegan Wednesday as it begins evaluating seven proposals for the state's 10th casino license, which is up for grabs.

Trilliant Gaming Illinois LLC led the initial bidding, offering $435 million for the license, nearly double the amount offered by a company wanting to put a gaming site in Waukegan. The gaming board's staff will study the details of the proposals and the list will be narrowed to three finalists before further negotiations and awarding of a license. Minority employment, incentives to local governments and company expertise and background also will play a role.

Trilliant Gaming is led by Alex Yemenidjian. Its site is west of River Road between Balmoral and Bryn Mawr fronting I-294.

Partners in Waukegan Gaming LLC include well known Chicago businessmen Richard Stein, Charles Bidwell and Edward Duffy. The group made an opening bid of $225 million for a site at the location of the former Lakehurst mall site near Waukegan Road and Route 120.

Midwest Gaming submitted an opening bid of $100 million to build a casino north of Devon and west of River Road next to I-294 in Des Plaines. Its leader is Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm.