Gaming Board Chooses 3 Finalists for Final Casino License

The Illinois Gaming Board has narrowed the field of groups bidding on the state's 10 and final gaming license from seven to three.

None of the four bids from the South suburbs were accepted. Two of the boards commisioners lamented that fact as the board conducted its vote.

According to Crain's Chicago Business, the Illinois Gaming Board announced on Friday that it has whittled the list of finalists to receive the license from seven to three:

  • Alex Yemenidjian’s Trilliant Gaming Illinois LLC and his backer Onex Corp. of Canada, which have offered $435 million for the license to locate a casino in Rosemont. The northwest suburb has battled hard for a casino since Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan scuttled a 2004 plan after ruling that organized crime influences in the northwest suburb made the town unsuitable to host a casino.

  • A group of Waukegan developers, led by Charles Bidwell III, who owned Sportsman’s Park Race Track, and developers Richard Stein and Allen Ludwig. The group is offering $225 million for the license.

  • Casino operator Neil G. Bluhm, who wants to build a gaming complex at River Road and Devon Avenue in Des Plaines. It’s the same spot where he wanted to build in 2004 when he last attempted to get a casino license. Mr. Bluhm has offered $100 million for the license.

    The next step will be presentations from each of the three finalists November 25.
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