Joliet Says Gambling Expansion Could Cost City $6M A Year
JOLIET, Ill. (STMW) - The city of Joliet expects to lose as much as $6 million a year in gaming taxes if all the casinos in the proposed gambling expansion bill are built.
"That would takes us down to $15 million a year, and that would be down from a high mark of $37 million in 2007," Joliet City Manager Thomas Thanas said Tuesday.
Gaming tax revenues already have fallen off to a projected $21.5 million this year, a decline attributed to the recession and an Illinois smoking ban.
Joliet officials and casino operators said the state smoking ban sent many of the customers at the city's two casinos to Indiana, where customers can smoke while they gamble. Now, they expect to lose more customers because of the legislation that would allow casinos in Chicago and an undetermined location in the south suburbs.
The Illinois House already has approved expanded gambling, and the Senate is expected to go along as well. Gov. Pat Quinn has previously said the proposal adds too much gambling in Illinois but has supported a casino in Chicago.
Casinos would also be allowed in Lake County, Rockford, and Danville, while slot machines would be permitted at horse race tracks as well as in O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport. The biggest impact on Joliet is expected to come from the Chicago and south suburban casinos.
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