Posted on Thu, Oct. 27, 2005

House votes to end riverboat gambling, but intentions mysterious

RYAN KEITH

Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois House voted Thursday to close the state's nine riverboat casinos, but Speaker Michael Madigan signaled that shuttering a multibillion dollar industry is not his real goal.

Gambling foes say the casinos that were legalized 15 years ago to aid blighted communities have been a scourge on society instead. The House backed the plan 67-42, despite outcries it would cost the state millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

"We did something today that nobody thought we'd ever be able to do," said Rep. John Bradley, a Marion Democrat sponsoring the measure. "I think it's a great day for the state of Illinois and the future of the state of Illinois."

The bill now heads to the state Senate, where it's likely to be blocked by Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.

"The Senate is a very responsible body. It doesn't do irresponsible things," Jones said. "I can't see a member voting to take money away from their schoolchildren."

Madigan, D-Chicago, signaled the measure could be used as an opportunity to re-examine who owns the riverboats. He said the state should auction off licenses to ensure "maximum benefit to the people of Illinois."

"A small group of people became millionaires because of Illinois riverboat gaming, but the people of Illinois have never received a fair return in exchange for these monopolies," Madigan said in a statement issued after the vote. "I think we should go back to the drawing board and start over."

Gov. Rod Blagojevich called it an "intriguing idea."

"I just feel that if you're going to do something like having riverboats and licenses where you can make all kinds of money, the people have to get their fair share," Blagojevich said.

Riverboat owners vowed to fight the measure and said reissuing licenses raises huge concerns.

"I think we're going down a road that's going to make it very, very difficult for anybody to be interested in doing business here," said Tom Swoik of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association.

Bradley floated the idea of shutting down the casinos during the spring session but it went nowhere. He argued they encourage gambling addiction, increase crime, devastate families and eat up cash that could be spent more wisely.

Other lawmakers defended the casinos as a source of jobs, money for schools and taxes to operate state government. All that would be wiped out if the casinos were closed, and the already troubled state budget would face a $700 million annual hole.

"Illinois finds itself in the red every year, and this will only add to the problem," said Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora.

Some legislators suggested the legislation is politically motivated because it forces lawmakers to cast votes that could be used against them in next year's election.

Madigan's statement could mean he will push to change the way casino profits are distributed.

A variety of ideas to accomplish that have been proposed in the past. Raising state taxes on the casinos is one option. Another is taking the casino licenses away from their current owners and auctioning them off to generate money for the state. Letting the city of Chicago actually own a casino is a possibility, too.

Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago, dismissed the idea that the legislation is a sincere effort to end riverboat gambling. "There's more gaming involved with the legislative maneuvering than there are at riverboats," he said.

Gambling opponents praised the House vote as a landmark move nationwide but fear the effort will be scuttled by Madigan's other motives.

"I would suggest at this point that he's perhaps missing the point here," said Tom Grey, executive director of the Illinois Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. "The citizens believe the costs outweigh the benefits."