Casino clash coming down to who gets a piece of the action
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It seems the easy way missed Waukegan when it comes to projects enhancing Lake County’s largest municipality. Call it the Waukegan Hypothesis.
From seeping coal ash pits along the Lake Michigan shoreline to a moribund downtown to the latest twist in the continuing casino drama, the Waukegan Hypothesis takes hold: It’s difficult being the county’s largest city.
For example, Waukegan Park District staff comes up with a plan for a driving range and soon the carpers kill the project. Waukegan Unit School District 60 has a proposal to turn a long vacant downtown bank building into its central office and complainers come out in force. Or, city folks figuring out who can sponsor a Fiestas Patrias parade next month.
After waiting decades for a casino in Waukegan, a new hiccup has occurred which throws a monkey wrench into what has been a successful venture for The Temporary by American Place gaming palace at Fountain Square. The hypothesis comes into play, once again.
A state appellate court overruled a Cook County Circuit Court judge late last month saying the Forest County, Wisconsin, Potawatomi Community wasn’t given a fair deal in 2019 when state gaming officials and the Waukegan City Council decided to grant a casino license to Full House Resorts of Las Vegas. From that ruling, there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially if the entire selection process begins anew.
All that depends on how the coming months play out as attorneys roll the dice in courtrooms across the region. Appeals of the recent court ruling could take months or even years.
Then again, the parties could negotiate a peaceful cash settlement ending the ensuing court battles. Defendants in the lawsuit have about a month to file a notice of appeal or a notice for a rehearing.
The Potawatomi, which operate a lucrative casino just off Interstate 43 in Milwaukee, argued in the tribe’s original suit that the heated bidding contest for the Waukegan casino was “rigged.” The Cook County-based First District Appellate Court ruled July 28 the tribe deserved a seat at the gaming table when the license was being awarded two years ago.
“The court acknowledged Potawatomi’s detailed allegations of the city’s failure to lawfully conduct the casino selection process and recognized that retracting the current casino license and repeating the casino selection process would remedy Potawatomi’s claims,” the tribe’s attorney told Steve Sadin in a front-page News-Sun story last weekend. Attorneys for the other parties involved — Full House, Waukegan and the state gaming board — are holding their cards close to their respective vests.
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The temporary casino — replete with slot machines and video gaming, along with tables for blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and poker --- has been open since mid-February and has been doing quite well as gamblers have flocked to the giant white dome on Waukegan’s far southwest side. Of the 13 casinos in Illinois, The Temporary is one of the newest and has been the third busiest, drawing about 70,000 patrons monthly. In July it had the sixth highest gross revenue, bringing in more than $7.8 million, according to Illinois Gaming Board data.
A sportsbook to be operated by Circa Sports of Las Vegas opens late this month or early September at The Temporary, becoming the eighth sports gambling outlet in Illinois. A sportsbook should increase the casino’s revenue stream, especially if it opens before the fall football season kicks off.
Since the casino opened, it has generated more than $3.5 million in taxes for the state and nearly $1.8 million shared by Waukegan, North Chicago and Park City, according to a recent Sadin story. Not a bad jackpot for a temporary gaming site.
Full House continues to move forward with plans for its spiffy permanent casino/hotel adjacent to The Temporary. The company is scheduled to present its proposals to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 10, Sadin reported.
The clash over issuance of the much-coveted casino license may not make much of a difference to gamblers enjoying a night at the tables or on the slots. For those involved in the gaming industry, it is big business with much at stake and certainly about who gets a piece of the highly profitable business.
The casino drama is yet another example of the odds against the city when the Waukegan Hypothesis is at work.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor. sellenews@gmail.com. Twitter: @sellenews
