Summary
- Alderpersons and neighborhoods are opposed to each casino plan.
- Mayor Lightfoot says community concerns should be addressed.
- The only solution for city funding needs other than a casino is to raise property taxes.
Over the past few weeks, major criticism has arisen surrounding the proposals issued for a casino in Chicago. Bally’s, Hard Rock, and Rivers are the remaining contenders, with alderpersons coming out against each project recently in some form or fashion.
After Alderwoman Pat Dowell spoke out against the Hard Rock plan as the chosen Budget Committee chairman, Lightfoot decided it was time to address the concerns.
Ready to Listen but Not Deterred
Basically, all three plans are being criticized for the same reasons: crime, traffic issues, destroying the neighborhood community feel, and gambling addiction. Lightfoot says she is ready to listen to concerns and feels that casino operators must understand the environment they are entering and hear the concerns of the community. Concerns should be addressed by the developers.
However, there is a limit as to what the mayor plans on putting up with. She is not going to let the opposition stand in the way of bringing a casino to Chicago. The funds from such a venue are needed to help police and fire pension needs.
The mayor says the decision needs to be made for the future of Chicago and not be specific to a particular neighborhood.
Considerations must be made of course, but the mayor pointed out the casino will benefit the entire city not just one area but also in the state of Illinois.
How About Higher Taxes?
Also, in response to the negativity, Lori Lightfoot asked those who are saying they don’t want a casino in their neighborhood if they would like their taxes to go up instead. The mayor says there are very few options available to help police, labor, and municipal pensions.
The only logical way left is to raise property taxes. No one wants that, even the mayor. She sees the casino proposal as a way to bring a new revenue stream to Chicago that will bring in a substantial amount of funds that will help the city’s pension needs.
The goal is to stimulate economic development and that is what the casino will do. Each operator has a large plan in place that will not only bring new funds to the area but also jobs and continued revenues. Initially, payments will be made to the city for licensing and getting started, which will be money that can be used right away for pension needs.
For now, discussions will continue as to which plan should be followed to bring a casino to Chicago. It will be interesting to see if the pushback continues and how it affects the overall selection process. The mayor wanted to have a decision in place by the summer so that the process could continue, and the selected casino could begin construction.
Will the process be delayed? How far will opponents go to avoid a casino in their neighborhood?
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