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Gambling expansion bill introduced in Illinois House

Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 7:41 PM

by Neil Milbert

With the scheduled May 31 adjournment of the Illinois General Assembly fast approaching, a massive gambling expansion bill that includes slot machines at the state’s racetracks has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) is the sponsor, adding it as an amendment to a Senate bill.

“I’m prepared to do this now,” Lang said. “Some people say, ‘It’s only a week left.’ I look at it as a week of opportunity to get something done that would really benefit Illinois. If the votes aren’t there and I have to wait [until the fall veto session], I’ll wait. But there’s no time like the present.”

The bill’s major component is the legalization of five new riverboat casinos, which would bring the state’s total to 15. One of the casinos would be in Chicago and the city’s new mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has met with leaders of both parties in the legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn, asking that they make it a reality.

Arlington Park Chairman Richard Duchossois reportedly made a significant contribution to Emanuel’s mayoral campaign, so it is safe to assume the new mayor probably has no objection to slots at the racetracks. Last week, Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder and the Village Board also made an informal declaration of support.

In addition to the state’s Thoroughbred and harness tracks—Arlington, Hawthorne Race Course, Fairmount Park, Balmoral Park and Maywood Park—the bill would permit slot machines at Quad City Downs, a shuttered standardbred track owned by Arlington’s parent company, Churchill Downs Inc.; and at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The ten-day harness meeting held annually during the Illinois State Fair in Springfield would be extended for between three and nine months year.

Although Lang repeatedly has sponsored racing legislation over the years, in January—on the final night of the veto session—he aroused the indignation of horsemen and track operators when he decided against calling for a vote on his bill that would have permitted five new casinos and slots at the tracks.

Lang cited two reasons—the likelihood of a veto by Gov. Quinn if the bill passed, and the alleged defection of some legislators who earlier in the day had indicated they would support the bill but withdrew their support when a bill increasing the state income tax was passed. According to Lang, these defections would have prevented the bill from being passed.

Neil Milbert is an Illinois-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent