Not sure when the LEGISLATURE passed the budget however it was Blagojovich that signed the bill last summer increasing the casino taxes to OVER 70% before expenses etc. I know this because it was when I returned from Las Vegas that I found letters in my mail from Hollywood in Aurora telling of how Blago was going to sign the state budget and that the fees and taxes were to take effect July 1, 2003 (?). Blagojovich and his people had been in office for some time. If they really did oppose that bill and it was all Ryan's fault then they had plenty of time to change things. Gov. Blagojovich's signature on the bill has caused many of the casinos to start charging for things that they didn't before and to reduce services or hours to cut staff. Also, part of that bill included the $5 admission fee which is a State Tax in that it is not a fee to the casino but a state ordered fee that is turned over to the state.

As I understand the law doesn't say that they have to charge the visitor, just that they have to pay the state $5 for everyone who enters the casino. Whether they are gambling, drinking or eating at the buffet etc. Some casinos will pay that for players who are club members and show their cards etc.

I personally go to Hollywood and haven't noticed big changes. There may have been changes in machines that I don't notice. They may have tightened things up a bit. I am more of a blackjack player so I don't notice that as much. The minimums at $15 are a little steep but I have found them tolerable. I have also learned, recently, that if I go on Monday Nights there are $10 tables available. It is my understanding, and observation, that pre tax increase the minimums were still about $10/$15. The most notable change that I have experienced, I used to get a $30 voucher each month pre tax increase and then was getting only $7. Lately, I have also been getting a mystery scratch off in addition to the $7. That could add anything from $6 to $400. That, so far, is an additional $6 bringing my freebies up to $13. Why they couldn't make that $14 or even drop it to $12, I don't know. $13 doesn't seem right. Anyways, I am not a poker player so the increased fee of over $50 doesn't effect me. I tend to go later at night and am not an allnighter type. Thus, it doesn't bother me that they shut down at 3:30am now. It also doesn't effect me that they close the buffet at 9pm and don't open for breakfast. I usually get there around 8pm so I still can hit the buffet if I want. I don't tend to go in mornings so breakfast isn't an issue. The other change was the charging for Valet parking for Marquee members. While it was nice to get free parking, I now have to pay $3 for parking and I tip the vallet $2. So, $5 for parking isn't that big of a deal. I could park for free in self park but the enormous convenience has a value that I am not averse to paying for. I do get free admission with my Marquee card.

While the fees and changes don't tend to bother me, I know there are others that are getting smacked with them. I have friends who work evenings and like to go out there from the N. Suburbs, to unwind after work. They get off at 11pm or 1am and drive 45 minutes each way to be able to gamble for maybe 2 to 3 hours at best. I also know some who used to play for a while and hit the buffet for breakfast before they would leave. Now they can't do it since they are closed from 3:30 to 10am(?). Also, I am sure there are a lot of poker players who must find the fee pretty hard to swallow.

All this because the legislature and Gaming will not issue that "License in Limbo" and either give it to Rosemont where the casino is stalled in construction and could be open in a year, or to someone else like Waukegan who has already, from recent reports, entered agreements with Harrah's to build a casino at Lakehurst, pending approval and the license from gaming. The fees and taxes were all intended to bring in over $200mil to cover the lost revenue from the Rosemont License that remains unissued. However, the revenue from the taxes and fees only brought in $42(?)million. This at a time when Gaming in the region has increased dramatically and Illinois share of that market has plunged. Indiana has been the big winner, from what I have read.

Some other local gaming news.....

Now, Blago and the Legislature are reportedly in a battle over expansion of gaming. I seem to recall, during the elections, Rod Blagojovich was not in favor of expansions of gaming, or that he avoided the issue. Now, his spokespeople are saying he has an open mind. Mayor Daley (D-Mayor-Chicago) was outspoken with the fact that he DID NOT WANT A CASINO IN CHICAGO AND HAD NO INTEREST IN IT. Now, with Blagojovich as governor, Chicago is a leading contender for a new license. Among proposed expansions are, Increase in number of positions at existing casinos, new licenses for Chicago and the South Suburbs,(no surprise to me since Blagojovich's father in law is Dick Mel(?,sp?), an alderman and prominent democrat in Chicago. I wonder who all are going to have influences over who runs that casino. Chicago proposals are that THE CITY will OWN the casino but will license out the operation of it. Also, they want to add slot machines at the tracks and there was mention of legalizing Video Poker in Illinios. Meanwhile there is a facility in Rosemont, right accross from O'Hare Airport, that is nearly completed and could be quickly up and running. Construction workers are out of work on the project, innocent investors in the project are SOL with their investments and the state is loosing an estimated $200mil a year from that license.