Gaming board questions mayor about proposed casino

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

Stephens said Tuesday that he was greeted by a court reporter and video camera when he appeared at the Gaming Board headquarters Friday for questioning by its top administrator, attorney and investigator.

The interview, which lasted for nearly two hours, touched on Stephens' efforts to bring casino gambling to Cook County and Rosemont's lease with a casino developer.

"They focused mainly on how the legislation got passed, which I don't think is in their purview," Stephens said. "But if they want to ask, they can ask."

Stephens said he told Gaming Board administrator Sergio Acosta, attorney Jeanette Tamayo and lead investigator Jim Wagner he didn't care who owned the casino, as long as it ran like a "first-class operation."

Gaming officials declined to talk about the interview.

It has been more than a year since Emerald Casino Inc. applied to move the license for its defunct East Dubuque riverboat to Rosemont, a Chicago suburb near O'Hare International Airport.

But the deal has been tied up in court since last October, when a rival development group filed a lawsuit challenging the state law that laid the groundwork for the move.

A final decision on the license application remains on the Gaming Board's Oct. 17 agenda, although the board may be forced to put off action pending a decision by the Illinois Supreme Court, board spokesman Gene O'Shea said Wednesday.

Lake County Riverboat L.P. has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to block action by the Gaming Board, saying it should wait until the lawsuit is resolved.