Rosemont mayor supports more casino licenses

Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens defended his village board's decision to ban video gambling machines in town, saying if the state believes there is a market for more gambling it should allow more casinos.

Rosemont lost its bid for the state's 10th and final casino license. The license instead went to neighboring Des Plaines.

Stephens was quick to say Rosemont wouldn't try again for a casino even if the state were to allow more licenses.

"We don't want one anymore," he said. "We are out of that business. We've been beat up enough over that."

Rosemont was the first suburb to ban the slotlike video gambling machines after they were legalized across the state in July. Several communities have since jumped on that bandwagon.

"It's amazing that it keeps picking up more and more steam," Stephens said.

Stephens said the state's idea of expanding video gambling by putting 45,000 new gaming devices into 9,000 bars and liquor-serving restaurants is a recipe for disaster.

Under the law, any bar, club or truck stop can have up to five machines. The Illinois Gaming Board is working on getting regulations in place, likely more than a year from now.

"They don't have the staff to administer this," Stephens said. "Video poker sucks on the bottom of wage earners. We don't need them here."