Illinois Gaming Board Postpones Waukegan Casino License Decision Amid Potawatomi Claiming Process Was “Rigged”

During the board meeting on Thursday, Administrator Marcus Fruchter stated that the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) will delay its decision on the applicant for a Waukegan casino license indefinitely.

Originally, the IGB intended to reach a decision and a preliminary suitability finding during a meeting. However, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino is now claiming that the city’s process was biased. At a hearing on Wednesday, Potawatomi asked a Cook County judge to stop the IGB from making a decision.

Fruchter stated that, in order to honor the judicial process, the IGB may opt not to choose a winning bid. He did not specify a timeline for when he will announce his decision.

Potawatomi claims that Waukegan town officials, including former president Sam Cunningham, unfairly influenced the election to favor Michael Bond.

Bond is spearheading the North Point Casino project, with Full House Resorts as the only other potential buyer.

The decision on granting a south suburban casino license is still on track to be made in the coming months, but recent revelations have caused a major delay in Waukegan’s timeline.

Let’s explore further the assertions regarding the Potawatomi.

Why Potawatomi thinks the Waukegan game system was rigged

In the end, Waukegan’s representatives submitted three requests to the IGB, seeking the acquisition of assets from Churchill Downs, Full House, and North Point. Potawatomi was not given the opportunity to voice their concerns to the gaming regulators in the city.

The game software at Churchill Downs’ Waukegan was missing North Point and Full House and had to be removed.

As reported by The Patch, Potawatomi relies on testimony given under oath by 6th Ward Alderman, Keith Turner. Turner stated that Cunningham had informed him:

Do we all agree to send these three individuals to Springfield? Was that the outcome of the vote? If so, let’s move forward with sending them.

Potawatomi asserts that Waukegan has also breached the state’s gaming expansion law and the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Bond and Cunningham have a lengthy relationship, with Bond contributing more than $50,000 to Cunningham’s mayoral campaign in 2017.

Furthermore, Potawatomi’s attorneys asserted:

Bond’s close relationship with Cunningham and his campaign donations undoubtedly provided North Point with an edge. However, public scrutiny forced the City to favor Full House, seen as a more impartial competitor. This decision was further supported by Rivers’ transparency during the Waukegan Gaming conflict. As a result, Cunningham directed the Illinois Gaming Board to consider Potawatomi, Full House, and North Point for approval.

Potawatomi’s lawsuit alleges that Cunningham did not properly disclose his communication with Bond to the IGB.

Prosecutors from Waukegan and Potawatomi will come together for an arrangement event on November 30, with the outcome still up in the air.

When might this be resolved?

What we fail to realize is the shortest response.

Whether Full House or North Point will be chosen largely depends on the decision of the IGB. If North Point is selected, there could be significant delays in the process.

It is possible that the IGB chose North Point based on the information provided, particularly considering the timing of Potawatomi’s legal action. However, we cannot definitively confirm this at this time.

Because the IGB usually moves slowly, these accusations could potentially disrupt the entire process, resulting in a possible delay for Waukegan residents in receiving their game.