Illinois Senate Pres. John Cullerton had decent comedic timing, laying a political burn down on Gov. Pat Quinn. more ›

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Roper thinks the James R. Thompson at Clark and Randolph would be the perfect location for a casino in Chicago. more ›

City Council and Rahm Emanuel say gambling expansion is a safe bet. Thursday they passed a resolution urging Governor Quinn to ante up. more ›

More gambling has been touted as the budget crisis savior, but casinos aren't immune to hard times either. Last year revenues from the nine Illinois casinos continued their downward trend and took in $55 million less from 2009, a 3.8 percent decrease, the Daily Herald reports. more ›

• Ald. Fioretti (2nd) suggested turning East McCormick Place into a temporary casino to help while the city looks for a permanent casino site.
• Some details are out about a pair of upcoming debates for U.S. Senate and Governor.
• The city got the go-ahead from the courts to relocate graves in the ongoing O'Hare Expansion Project.

Instead of relying on flashing signs, Des Plaines' new casino--set to open in fall 2011--will feature large-scale LED monitors and electronic murals. This week, the city council approved a sign ordinance that allows the casino to display 57 signs inside and around it. In addition, the plan for the 20-acre casino site that will be located at Devon Avenue and Des Plaines River Road was also approved by the alderman. The developer, Midwest Gaming, is still trying to finalize its financing and hopes to break ground by the end of the month. more ›

Some officials believe building a land-based casino could provide help during Chicago's financial crisis but Mayor Daley has some reservations that must be met first. more ›

With the sobering news of Mayor Daley's budget apocalypse beginning to sink in, some in the city council are looking at a Chicago-based casino anew. "All one has to do is drive through those parking lots in Northwest Indiana and see all the Illinois plates,'' Alderman Edward Burke told the Sun-Times. "If those folks are gonna lose their money, they might as well lose it in Chicago." Alderman Leslie Hairston put it more succinctly: "We've got to do something to generate some revenue." more ›

Yesterday’s fire at the Empress Casino in Joliet has left it closed. Managers are meeting with insurance adjusters and the Illinois Gaming Board today to determine the extent of the damage. The closure puts about 850 people out of work for the moment. more ›

In a 3-1 vote, the Illinois Gaming Board awarded the state's 10th Casino license to Des Plaines-based Midwest Gaming LLC, ending a ten-year process in which bidders throughout the state vied for the open license. [Crain's] more ›

While companies are putting together bids for Des Plaines, Rosemont and Waukegan for the state's final casino license, they're finding themselves hampered by the struggling economy. Bill Eadington, director of a gambling institute at the University of Nevada-Reno, recently told the Trib, "It's very bad timing for Illinois. We're facing the biggest economic recession in 75 years. I wouldn't be surprised if the companies that made bids a couple months ago could no longer justify them." Casino giants like Harrah's are having to scale back or scrap plans for new casinos altogether.

The finalists are Trilliant Gaming, a Los Angeles-based venture that has teamed up with Rosemont and submitted the high bid of $435 million. The next highest offer is $225 million from Waukegan Gaming. A distant third at $100 million is Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, billionaire developer Neil Bluhm's group, who wants to open in Des Plaines. Those figures don't include the cost of building the casino, which could be in the hundreds of millions, making it tougher to turn a profit. more ›

Mike Madigan made it seem like he was ready to deal this week, with a letter to state legislators saying that he'd endorse a bill to expand gaming in the state in order to fund roads and schools. In announcing his "compromise", he said he is "willing to embrace compromise and offer a sincere, serious proposal that will receive my full support and backing." That expansion may not happen, though, as some lawmakers have enough... more ›