Casino proposal would cheat taxpayers
As mayor of Des Plaines, I am deeply concerned about a troubling proposal from the state’s horse racing industry that would more than double casino gaming locations. It would be the largest gaming expansion in our state’s history. The racing industry’s proposal, Senate Bill 1849, would more than double Illinois casino gaming locations to 21. In addition to the 10 existing casinos, it adds five new casinos and slot machines at six racetracks. Welcome to Las Vegas, Illinois.
Unfortunately, the great promises of revenue and jobs from the proponents in the waning days of the legislative session are exaggerated. Under the new proposal, the additional casino gaming locations added would further strip revenues and jobs from existing casinos. And those existing revenues are already in decline: They have dropped 34 percent since 2007 at the original nine Illinois casinos. A proposal to move the same money from one group to another would be just another shell game.
In perhaps the worst state government budget crisis in Illinois history, Senate Bill 1849 cheats taxpayers by giving racetracks a license to operate casino slot machines for free. In other states, licenses to establish slots at tracks are not given away. In fact, in Indiana, the state charged $250 million each for licenses to establish slots at tracks — a big win for Indiana taxpayers.
In the end, lawmakers should consider the real facts of the proposal for the largest gaming expansion in our history. It is bad policy and a bad deal for the taxpayers of Des Plaines and throughout the state.
Mayor Martin J. Moylan
Des Plaines