How gaming income impacts stateline communities

(WIFR) – While many Illinois cities depend on property taxes to fund public providers, Loves Park takes a distinct strategy counting on video gaming income.

Loves Park Mayor Greg Jury says online game income is essential because the metropolis doesn’t gather property taxes.

“It goes into our general funds, and it helps pay for our street repairs, our police, our fire,” mentioned Mayor Jury.

In 2023, Loves Park collected round $1.5 million in gaming income. In 2024, that quantity climbed to $1.8 million – a determine that features town’s share from each native gaming parlors and a five-percent minimize from the Hard Rock Casino.

“So, it hasn’t gone down, it’s gone up, actually,” Mayor Jury mentioned. “A lot of people think the casino is hurting revenue, but it’s not for the local communities.”

“We need to encourage them to stay here and continue to expand for us and for our community. Loves Park, Machesney, Rockford, we need to support them, but also encourage them to expand because it helps us,” mentioned Mayor Jury.

Not each close by city shares that optimism. South Beloit Mayor Tom Fitzgerald mentioned video gaming stays vital to his metropolis’s finances, however he expressed frustration that they obtain no income from the Hard Rock Casino.

“The problem is that we should be getting something out of it. We are getting zero dollars. South Beloit gets zero dollars out of the Hard Rock. We should be getting something,” mentioned Mayor Fitzgerald.

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