Quinn Won't Sign Gaming Bill

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 17, 2011 4:20PM

Gov. Quinn Speaks. Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist

The Sun-Times is citing sources as saying Gov. Pat Quinn will not sign the stalled gaming legislation that's been waiting for his signature for months.

Quinn has called the legislation "top heavy" ever since the State Legislature voted it through before their spring break. State Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe blasted the bill in June and said the negotiations to make a bill on which all parties could agree should have happened before it was passed. The opening of Rivers Casino in Des Plaines in July showed there's only so large a market for gaming in Illinois.

As of post time, Quinn is expected to hold a news conference proposing a scaled-back version of the bill that will include a casino for Chicago, appeasing his BFF, Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Quinn's proposal is expected to scale back by more than half that plan that lawmakers sent to him in May that allowed for five new casinos; slot machines at airports, race tracks and the state fairgrounds; and more gaming "positions" at existing casinos.

Nice to see someone not looking to gaming as an economic cure-all.