Lightfoot On Chicago Casino Operator: There Are No Hometown Favorites

Joe Boozell from Play Illinois is currently reporting live from the National Council of Legislators at the Gaming States. For more coverage, follow him @ Play_Illinois. He serves as the Editor & rsquo.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot spoke about the prospective Chicago casino at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) conference on Monday. She emphasized to potential bidders that the process is open and available.

I’ve been informed that there was a short conversation about this issue. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is accessible to everyone, and there aren’t any hometown friends involved. We aim to ensure we secure the best possible options for anyone in the country who appreciates the benefits of living in a city like Chicago.

Rush Street Gaming, a company based in Chicago, is reported to have shown interest. In 2020, the city’s Request for Information (RFI) garnered responses from Wynn Resorts, Hard Rock, and MGM. As per Lightfoot, the notion that Rush Street would inevitably obtain the license is prevalent.

Despite answering the RFI, MGM has indicated that they are unlikely to pursue the Chicago casino license due to high tax rates.

Rush Street Gaming has recently been the focus of significant media coverage.

Churchill Downs is currently evaluating proposals for Arlington International Racecourse. Both Rush Street and Churchill Downs jointly own Rivers Casino. In the meantime, the Chicago Bears have put forward a purchase offer for Arlington park. Following this, the Bears selected BetRivers as their official partner for sports betting.

Lightfoot openly welcomed additional bids, as she has previously stated publicly. She also highlighted the potential advantages a Chicago game could bring for the city and potential operators.

“Our city definitely provides a unique opportunity for interested owners and operators to set up an entertainment and game district in famous American cities. I am keen on reviewing the submitted proposals.”

Let’s examine how we arrived at this stage in the process of the Chicago casino.

Chicago is one of the six Illinois locations to receive a fresh game.

In 2019, when the expansion of gambling concluded, six regions in Illinois were provided the opportunity to submit bids for a game registration. These regions included:

• Rockford
• Waukegan
• Danville
• County of Williamson
• South cities
• Chicago

Despite its significance, Chicago outweighs any other fresh game venture due to its size.

However, up to this point, the procedure has been progressing at a slow pace, and not much information is available about the casino itself.

Initially, we were uncertain about the casino’s location, with the south or west side of the city being potential areas in a bid to stimulate economic growth. However, it appears operators are more inclined to position a casino-resort in the downtown core.

Furthermore, as previously stated, we are uncertain about which games operator may manage the casino.

Nevertheless, the city put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) in April. Chicago is expected to select a winning proposal either in late 2021 or early 2022, after which it will provide the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) with access to its materials.

Naturally, the IGB has not yet processed the uses of the game in other regions quickly. No final approvals for new casino licenses have been granted, with only two proposals being deemed “preliminarily suitable”. These proposals are for the Hard Rock Casino Rockford and Walker’s Bluff Casino in Williamson County.

The IGB has now received criticism from Lightfoot.

Despite Chicago lagging behind all other regions in the application process, Lightfoot has now criticized the IGB.

In April, she stated through the Chicago Sun-Times:

“We must act swiftly once we present a proposal to IGB. I don’t want to pass judgement, but I believe the process should be expedited due to the time the game board takes to finish their task.”

Lightfoot stressed in her speech the critical need to keep gambling revenues within Illinois. She pointed out that each day without a game in Chicago, Illinois loses money to the Hoosier State, which boasts numerous games in northwest Indiana.

“My goal is to return those funds to Chicago residents who are crossing the border into Indiana. I don’t mean to offend the Hoosiers, but I believe that Chicago is a more suitable place to spend that money.”