Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot appears to be all in on the creation of a Chicago casino, and she hasn't changed her mind since 2019. Then, she urged state lawmakers to make the Chicago casino part of the statewide gambling expansion bill.

Crain’s Chicago Business noted that the city is expected to begin the request for proposals process in April, and a winner will be chosen in the next few months. The state’s gaming board, with local government input, will decide who wins the contract.

“This is taking too long,” said Lightfoot. “I’m an impatient person by nature.”

In July 2020, the editorial board of The Chicago Tribune wrote about the situation, and encouraged Illinois residents to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

“As longtime advocates for a Chicago casino, we want the unfolding project to succeed as an employer, a tourism draw and a prolific producer of tax dollars,” wrote the editorial board. “But the cheesy history of Illinois and City Hall politicians trying to cut ethical corners and otherwise exploit creation of a Chicago casino demands that today’s pols heed three rules:

• Don’t try to game this project for crony contracts, campaign contributions and jobs for your in-laws.

• Accept that the Illinois Gaming Board — not City Hall or the General Assembly — will regulate every facet of this enterprise.

• In short, keep your hands off this casino project so it can deliver for the people of Chicago and Illinois."

With much of the fight now centered on where such a structure will stand, The Tribune advises, “City Hall should base its proposal on which location would produce the most tax revenue and jobs. Those factors also should shape City Hall’s proposed choice of a nationally respected company to build and operate the business.”

No matter how it shakes out, The Tribune warns the whole plan could be one huge gamble.

“None of us should underestimate the risk that some of this state’s, this city’s, political players and their cronies will try to exploit a costly project predicated on huge sums of gambling money changing hands,” the newspaper added.