Senator: Governor backs Chicago casino

Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2004 | 10:59 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Senate President Emil Jones said Gov. Rod Blagojevich supports a Chicago-owned casino, but aides to the governor insisted he has not yet made up his mind on the issue.

Asked Monday whether Blagojevich has indicated support for a city-owned casino, Jones told the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, "Yes, yes, he has."

Blagojevich said in the past that he would veto any bill allowing a Chicago casino, and has said gambling was legalized to help economically troubled communities -- not the state's largest city.

But the governor recently said he would consider any proposals put forward. A proposal that included four new casinos -- including one in Chicago -- stalled in the Senate the last legislative session.

Deputy Gov. Bradley Tusk said Monday he did not think Blagojevich would support a major expansion that would be "too big or too heavy."

"We haven't made any decision on any gaming bill whatsoever," Tusk told the Tribune. "We're still weighing our options."

Jones, D-Chicago, said he hopes to have a bill ready this week that would authorize two to three new casinos, including one in Chicago and one in the south suburbs. But some lawmakers were wary of throwing their support behind the bill until they heard that Blagojevich had endorsed it.

"There will be people in both chambers who would be reluctant to act until they know what the governor's position is," Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan told the Sun-Times.

Chicago labor and business organizations say a casino will boost the city's convention and tourism business. They said a city-owned casino operated by a management company could bring the nation's third-largest city as much as $300 million a year in revenue, with the state getting as much as $700 million a year.

Opponents of the plan say it would cause social problems such as gambling addiction and crime, and would hurt the city's poor who might spend money at the casino instead of on food or clothing, for example.