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Alcohol, gaming has no place in this site

It’s a shame there has been no publicity given to an issue here in Wheeling. Since the state of Illinois now allows video gaming, a “high end” beer and wine bar with gaming is being proposed here in the village.

This supposed high end establishment will serve beer and wine, coffee and light snacks with operating hours from 7 a.m.-2 a.m. (19 hours), seven days a week.

The Plan Commission recommended against approval by a 5-1 vote last month and the village board was to vote on the proposal at its Feb. 25 meeting. However the petitioner asked to have the proposal referred back to the Plan Commission. I haven’t been able to get an answer as to why they wanted this.

Not one resident I’ve spoken to about this establishment even knew anything like this was being proposed in this location and all were shocked to wonder why this was even being considered. This establishment wants to locate in a neighborhood shopping center that is woefully short of parking, where entry to and out of the center is on two residential streets, and where a grade school is two blocks away with many children walking to and from school.

I should mention there is no other neighborhood shopping center in town with an establishment serving liquor. After over almost two years of the center’s employees parking on neighborhood streets taking up all the available on-street parking our visitors or tradespeople had nowhere to park.

Thanks to the village board for solving this problem.

I am not against video gaming. I’ve been known to occasionally go to Rivers or the Indian casinos. I am against an establishment serving liquor with gaming in a neighborhood shopping center.

Christine Dolgopol

Wheeling

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