Imagine a casino in the city of Chicago.
Now imagine all the slots, craps and poker chips at, of all places, the Thompson Center.
An influential labor boss in Chicago is proposing the building that houses state government in the city as the site for a casino, according to the Sun-Times.
Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, told the newspaper the location would allow a casino to open quickly in an area that's centrally located and easy to get to.
Ramirez acknowledged state employees would have to be relocated but he cited the Thompson Center's operational problems, like its difficulties with heating and air conditioning, and infered that the state could rid itself of the problematic structure.
It's not the first time such a proposal has come up. Jerry Roper, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, suggested the Thompson Center as the site for a casino back in 2011.
A spokesman for Governor Pat Quinn would not comment on the new proposal, saying the governor is focused on pension reform.
But Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel said they have come close to a deal that would allow a casino in the city of Chicago.
