Watchdog groups worry over casino

Illinois regulators are moving forward with plans to select a suburban location for a new casino as soon as Tuesday even as Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces federal corruption charges for trying to sell numerous government perks and resources for personal gain, prosecutors say.

That greatly concerns good government groups, who stepped forward Thursday to call on the Illinois Gaming Board to put off the decision.

"To say that faith in state government is at an all-time low right now is an understatement," said Jay Stewart, director of the Better Government Association. "We have no idea what else (federal investigators) know. Let's wait and find out."

The Chicago Crime Commission, which has raised red flags about the continued inclusion of a Rosemont-based casino bid, agrees, calling it a "controversy waiting to happen."

"We need to stop, slow down, pause and think this through," commission Chairman J.R. Davis said.

Both Davis and Stewart stressed there is no evidence to believe the process of selecting a site of the state's tenth casino has been tainted with corruption.

But they say in the current environment of uncertainty and questions about Blagojevich's dealings, it would be prudent to hold off until more is known about reports of the governor's wrongdoing.

Illinois Gaming Board spokesman Gene O'Shea said regulators have no current plans to hold off.

The board's agenda includes the potential awarding of the license to either Rosemont, Waukegan or Des Plaines at a public meeting on Tuesday.

Negotiations with companies seeking the license are ongoing and may not be finalized by Tuesday.

"They are still discussing the three proposals," O'Shea said. "We are moving to reissue the 10th license."

O'Shea declined to address potential concern over the matter, other than to say the charges the governor faces have nothing to do with regulators.

Davis and Stewart pointed out the governor does appoint the regulators and there are reports that his staff has in the past tried to influence the independent board's actions.

Both also said they are not intending to cast aspersions on the current board members.

The charges against the governor are not related to the tenth casino license, which has been tied up for years in legal battles after Rosemont was stripped of it for reports of mob ties.

However, the criminal complaint filed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on Tuesday paints the picture of a governor constantly working to make deals to trade his power and state resources for personal profit.

Prosecutors said they have him on tape juggling schemes to sell a U.S. Senate seat, state help for Wrigley Field owners, legislation and state grants.

At the same time, the governor and lawmakers have been counting on the sale of the tenth license to reap hundreds of millions of dollars for the state budget, which currently has a shortfall of more than $2 billion by some estimates.

Health care providers and schools have suffered for months from long delays in state payments and state assistance for numerous rehabilitation programs and start parks has been in jeopardy.

Gaming board members are set to meet behind closed doors to discuss the final three bids on Monday.