Casino Bill Back on Hold

After casino legislation failed Wednesday in the House, gambling supporters said they would bring the bill up for another vote. But they won't get the chance.

House legislators adjourned until Nov. 29, leaving behind much to discuss.

Springfield sources said bill sponsor Rep. Lou Lang (D) was counting heads to determine if he would try for one more vote on gaming legislation that would expand gambling in Illinois and bring a casino to Chicago. 

The House on Wednesday shot down a revised casino bill that took into consideration some of Gov. Pat Quinn's concerns but left slots at racetracks and didn't ban campaign contributions, both of which Quinn says he's against. The bill failed on a 58-53 vote. It needed 60 votes to pass.

Quinn is said to be pleased the bill did not pass. He and his staff reached out to many lawmakers asking for a no vote, sources say, in direct conflict with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who made calls of his own to see the bill passed. 

"It's clear that this proposal needs more work, dialogue and analysis," Quinn's office said.

Lang (D-Skokie) said the new version is better than the one that previously was passed. "It’ll pay $1 billion in old bills," Lang said. "It’ll put $1 billion into state coffers. It’ll put people to work. We took the changes the governor wanted, even though he wouldn’t sit at the table with us, and put those in the bill."

But until Quinn says what he thinks of the revised package, House members might not put their name on it.

Among other main issues still needing a decision, a vote on the proposed incentives package to keep Sears and the CME in-state will wait until November after hearings are held Wednesday and Friday in Springfield.

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