Chicago To Get Its First Casino
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Casino
"The bill will allow four additional casinos in Illinois and slot machines for racetracks and at Chicago's two airports.
The sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang, a Democrat, has said the legislation would generate $1.5 billion up front in licensing fees, plus $500 million to $1 billion in annual gambling revenues, according to published reports."
Holy crapola.....
Are there currently any airports outside of Nevada that have slots?
Quote: EvenBobBout damn time. This is huge news for us close to Chicago, and more bad news for Vegas...
The Chicago area already has something like 7 casinos in the metro area, including the Horshehoe right outside the city limits (which runs along the state line south of the lake). And Chicago is still the #2 departure city for visitors to Vegas (after LA). So I don't think this will hurt Vegas much more than it's already hurting. The Indiana casinos already run free shuttles from multiple places in the city, so I think the new properties would mainly take business from each other, especially the farther out properites such as Blue Chip.
Back when I lived there, there was a period of a month or so when Daley campaigned hardcore for a casino in the city, then suddenly it died down. Not sure what was going on there, but given all the other band-aids Daley applied to fix the budget (selling the parking meters, etc) I would have thought he would have followed through a bit harder. Oh well, he's not there anymore, and neither am I, thank goodness.
How is this not overkill?
There are casinos in Milwaukee, Elgin, Aurora, and Joliet (2). A casino is opening in about 2 months in Des Plaines. There are casinos in Hammond, Gary, and East Chicago. There's a casino in Michigan City, and another in New Buffalo. There really needs to be an additional casino in Park City, one in Chicago, and one in the south suburbs?
Quote: rdw4potusThere are casinos in Milwaukee, Elgin, Aurora, and Joliet (2). A casino is opening in about 2 months in Des Plaines. There are casinos in Hammond, Gary, and East Chicago. There's a casino in Michigan City, and another in New Buffalo. There really needs to be an additional casino in Park City, one in Chicago, and one in the south suburbs?
I can see one in the city, especially a reasonable cab or L ride away from downtown. Best location might be near McCormick Place. Lots of convention goers and other tourists may be inclined to "hit the casino I've heard about". The Horseshoe already gets a lot of business this way. More than that, I agree.
Quote: 7outlineawayI can see one in the city, especially a reasonable cab or L ride away from downtown. Best location might be near McCormick Place. Lots of convention goers and other tourists may be inclined to "hit the casino I've heard about". The Horseshoe already gets a lot of business this way. More than that, I agree.
I think the one in Des Plaines should be about as easy to get to as O'Hare. It's about 9/10ths of a mile north of the Blue Line. So if the casino ran a shuttle, it'd be relatively convenient. I do agree that a casino closer to downtown would be better, but if the market reaches saturation before a downtown casino is sited and permitted...
If they can relax the restrictions on gaming positions, and actually put in a nice hotel and restaurants, I think Chicago city would be a great place for a casino if they can make it the market leader. Hopefully the one in Des Plaines will be a bellweather. If they screw that one up, I don't see much hope for IL.
Quote: 7outlineawayThe Chicago area already has something like 7 casinos in the metro area, including the Horsehoe right outside the city limits (which runs along the state line south of the lake).
The Horseshoe is actually in Hammond, IN on I-90 right at the state line. Passed it quite a few times but haven't stopped yet.
Quote: teddysThe problem is the Chicagoland casinos all suck, with the exception of Horseshoe, which is the only one even worth setting foot in. (Yet it doesn't have a hotel).
If they can relax the restrictions on gaming positions, and actually put in a nice hotel and restaurants, I think Chicago city would be a great place for a casino if they can make it the market leader. Hopefully the one in Des Plaines will be a bellweather. If they screw that one up, I don't see much hope for IL.
I didn't even think about the position restrictions. I suppose it'd be entirely possible that a Chicago casino would be too busy given the restriction (or insanely expensive...). Really, given the restrictions, is it possible for the Chicago casino to be the market leader? How ____ (Fancy? Hoopla-filled?) would the Chicago casino need to be to overcome the size restriction and take the market-leader position from Horseshoe? Would gaming have to take a back-seat to other entertainment at the venue in order for the position restriction to not be too burdensome? Could they do it with something like a Lumiere Place copy in Chicago?
Quote: 7outlineawayThe Chicago area already has something like 7 casinos in the metro area
There are over 10 million people in the Chicago metro area, they can absorb a few more casinos, especially nice ones.
Quote: EvenBobThere are over 10 million people in the Chicago metro area, they can absorb a few more casinos, especially nice ones.
For sure.
Also, the bill that has passed the Senate allows the casinos to add more positions, so that would benefit the Chicago casino. I think the downtown casino would be #1 in Illinois. Who knows, it could pass Horseshoe if they do it right.
I think the comparison to Lumiere is pretty accurate.
Horseshoe is by far the best casino in the Chicagoland area. (I haven't been to Four Winds, and I'm not even sure if I count it as Chicagoland. Potowotomi is 2nd, but I'm not really sure if it counts either.
I'm really hoping this bill gets passed. I'm a huge horseracing fan, and it looks like the only way Illinois horsetracks will be viable beyond the next 2-3 years is if this gets passed. The casino owners are getting what they deserved for not just sharing the revenue with the tracks like they promised. If they did, there surely wouldn't have been enough votes for this to pass.
It cracks me up that the casino operators are crying poor. How is it even possible that 1100 slot machines in a room can't be profitable? It's a joke.
Quote: teddysIf they can relax the restrictions on gaming positions, and actually put in a nice hotel and restaurants, I think Chicago city would be a great place for a casino if they can make it the market leader. Hopefully the one in Des Plaines will be a bellweather. If they screw that one up, I don't see much hope for IL.
Couyld you enlighten us on the "position restrictions?" My apologies, I haven't seen it discussed here before or don't remember.
This means that casinos don't waste their spots with table games, and the casinos are very slot heavy. The poker rooms are tiny. In my opinion, this is the main reason that people are going across state lines to gamble.
Quote: FinsRuleIllinois casinos are currently allowed 1200 "spots" to gamble in.
How ridiculous. Do they call it the Church Lady law? Its sounds like something a Bible Belter would come up with.
Quote: FinsRuleIllinois casinos are currently allowed 1200 "spots" to gamble in. Each slot machine is one "spot". Each seat at a blackjack table, craps table, poker table is one "spot".
This means that casinos don't waste their spots with table games, and the casinos are very slot heavy. The poker rooms are tiny. In my opinion, this is the main reason that people are going across state lines to gamble.
PA is radically different. Slots are taxed at 55% while table game winnings are taxed at 16%. The Illinois system strongly favors an all slot club. I am surprised there is any poker at all.
Quote: FinsRuleIllinois casinos are currently allowed 1200 "spots" to gamble in. Each slot machine is one "spot". Each seat at a blackjack table, craps table, poker table is one "spot".
This means that casinos don't waste their spots with table games, and the casinos are very slot heavy. The poker rooms are tiny. In my opinion, this is the main reason that people are going across state lines to gamble.
The other reason is that smoking is allowed in Indiana casinos, but not in Illinois casinos.
Quote: teddysThe problem is the Chicagoland casinos all suck, with the exception of Horseshoe, which is the only one even worth setting foot in. (Yet it doesn't have a hotel).
I would say Chicago casinos all suck, ESPECIALLY Horsehoe. My favorite (or least-disliked) of the bunch is Blue Chip in Michigan City, but it's kind of a long drive from the city.
Who would (or should) own a Chicago casino, anyway? Almost certainly not Harrah's/Caesar's. Resorts and Boyd already have a presence. MGM doesn't have anything here, maybe them?
Quote: 7outlineaway
Who would (or should) own a Chicago casino, anyway? Almost certainly not Harrah's/Caesar's. Resorts and Boyd already have a presence. MGM doesn't have anything here, maybe them?
MGM or Pinnacle? MGM sure did well in Detroit, Pinnacle has a couple very nice casinos in St. Louis.
