Danville officials still wait on casino suitability hearing
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The Illinois Gaming Board meets Wednesday for its last regularly scheduled 2021 meeting, and its agenda doesn't include any action items for Danville's casino license.
"We did create a video to be presented as part of our suitability hearing," Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said. "But we don't know yet when that suitability hearing will take place."
City officials still are waiting for the IGB to act on a determination of preliminary suitability for Danville's casino owner applicant, Danville Development LLC, and final licensure.
Once that occurs, Williams has said the city then could see a casino open within about nine months.
It was announced in Nov. 2020 that Golden Nugget LLC was entering into an agreement with Wilmot Gaming Illinois LLC to build a new casino in Danville, pending obtaining all regulatory approvals.
Rochester, N.Y.-based Wilmorite Construction, which secured Golden Nugget branding for the casino, is the proposed Danville casino developer.
Danville Development is a joint venture between Wilmot Gaming Illinois, LLC and GN Danville, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Golden Nugget.
Phase 1 development is proposed at 204 Eastgate Drive to include 500 slots, 10 tables, a steakhouse and food court. The site is the former Morris Flamingo warehouse location on the north side of Interstate 74.
Wilmorite officials have said they expect the casino would bring in about $66 million annually, with about $6.2 million of that going to the city of Danville.
Future phases, in addition to moving the casino closer to the interstate, are based on realized gaming revenue.
According to an email from Joe Miller, director of policy with the IGB, "an applicant will need to have received a determination of preliminary suitability from the board at a board meeting before Administrator (Marcus) Fruchter could utilize the delegated authority under (September's) resolution. The authority under the resolution allows the administrator to authorize/conduct a final practice gaming session, issue a temporary operating permit and to authorize gaming at a temporary facility. This is after a determination of preliminary suitability and after the applicant has submitted and received approval for all appropriate documents listed under Rule 230 and Rule 540."
Reiterating some background, Miller also explained in the email, "the first casino applicant selected by the city of Danville requested board approval to amend its severely deficient application in January of 2020 and the board denied the request to amend. The first casino applicant then requested board approval to withdraw its application on July 30, 2020, which was granted by the board ... The city of Danville then selected a second applicant, and that applicant did not submit its application to the IGB until Nov. 23, 2020. IGB staff is assessing and vetting that application and conducting the required background investigation and financial integrity analysis. We do not speculate on future board actions or timelines for action. The board will continue to follow statutory guidelines and its rules, specifically Rule 230, which outlines the licensing procedures for a new casino applicant."
The IGB in September approved a board delegation resolution for new casino approval processes.
This allows Fruchter to further streamline the process for the new casino owner applicants by authorizing a temporary casino and commencement of new casino gaming operations.
“The board does not wish to delay the otherwise appropriate authorization to conduct a final practice gaming session, issuance of a temporary operating permit or commencement of casino operations at a temporary or permanent gaming facility due to the inability of the board to timely meet and consider such matters,” Fruchter read from the resolution.
The resolution’s delegation authorization to Fruchter expires Dec. 31, 2022. The IGB board, not staff, still acts on final casino licensure.
