Peoria strikes to dam Illinois Gaming Board vote on on line casino

• The metropolis of Peoria is submitting a lawsuit to cease the Illinois Gaming Board from voting on a brand new on line casino.
• Peoria argues the proposed land-based on line casino in East Peoria violates state legislation and a 1991 settlement.
• The Peoria City Council lately rejected a settlement provide from Boyd Gaming value about $1.8 million yearly.

PEORIA — The metropolis of Peoria filed a lawsuit in Cook County on Tuesday asking a choose to approve a brief restraining order towards the Illinois Gaming Board to forestall the board from voting on Boyd Gaming’s proposed new East Peoria on line casino.

The gaming board is about to vote on Boyd’s proposal to construct a brand new on line casino in East Peoria on Thursday morning, however Peoria is hoping to cease that vote from taking place.

“This is the first next step in what I expect to be a long litigation process moving forward,” Peoria Mayor Rita Ali instructed the Journal Star on Tuesday morning.

The Illinois Gaming Board doesn’t touch upon litigation, spokesperson Beth Kaufman instructed the Journal Star on Tuesday.

The lawsuit names Boyd Gaming, the town of East Peoria, Par-A-Dice Gaming Corporation and the Illinois Gaming Board as defendants.

More: Peoria rejects settlement provide, will proceed to battle on line casino plans

On Monday night time, the City Council rejected a settlement settlement proposed by Boyd Gaming, which operates the Par-A-Dice Casino, that might have paid Peoria roughly $1.8 million a yr if the town dropped its objections to its proposed on line casino in East Peoria. Peoria contends the challenge is a land-based operation that violates state legislation and a 1991 intergovernmental settlement.

Both a 2019 state legislation and a 1991 intergovernmental settlement signed between Peoria and East Peoria dictate that any land-based on line casino constructed within the space have to be on Peoria’s facet of the river and any riverboat operation have to be docked in East Peoria.

In December, Boyd Gaming unveiled plans to the gaming board to assemble a 29,000-square foot-building within the car parking zone of the present Par-A-Dice property in East Peoria.

Boyd — openly, as members of the Peoria City Council see it — will assemble a basin of river water beneath the ground of its constructing and can then discuss with the constructing as a riverboat as a result of it rests on prime of water.

Par-A-Dice on line casino historical past: From the legalization of playing in Illinois to modern-day disputes

“We’re asking a judge to stop the gaming board from voting, specifically because we feel the law and the proposal as presented does not comport with the law or the intergovernmental agreement,” Urich mentioned.

The Illinois Gaming Board is scheduled to vote on Boyd Gaming’s proposal Thursday morning at 9 a.m. Urich mentioned it’s troublesome to know proper now if a choose will take the matter up earlier than then.

Pursuing litigation may show to be a pricey endeavor for Peoria, metropolis lawyer Patrick Hayes instructed the council Monday night time. If the matter goes to the Illinois Supreme Court, which Hayes mentioned was seemingly, it may price upward of $1 million to litigate, with no end result assured.

Still, in a 5-5 break up vote, the City Council moved on Monday night time to reject Boyd’s settlement provide and in flip moved to pursue litigation throughout an government session following the assembly.