By Doug Dobmeyer/The Task Force To Oppose Casino Gambling In Chicago
There is much talk of casino expansion throughout Illinois, including a first-ever casino for Chicago. It’s always hard to tell what could be a reality and what is huffing and puffing. But one thing is certain: while the legislature is in session we must treat all potential threats as potential reality.
Chicago has existed for 177 years without state-operated casinos. Oh, we’ve had more than our share of privately run gambling, much of it run by the Mob. The presence of illicit gambling in Chicago is hardly a secret. However, that has been attacked by government under the guise of protecting the public from an unhealthy endeavor – even as the government extracts its share from riverboats, the lottery and, now, video poker. Having gotten a taste, the government now wants to expand its piece of the pie.
The current gambling expansion proposal calls for Chicago to operate a casino. So, an often corrupt government that heretofore has been charged with protecting the public is now going to be granted a license to run a casino with very little scrutiny. Yes, the media and others will be prohibited under the pain of committing a felony from obtaining correspondence between City Council members and the three-person board that would be charged with operating a Chicago casino. Oh, give me a break!
Many media outlets, legislators and some interest groups continue to speak of a Chicago casino in terms of when it will happen, not if it will occur. They presume opposition will be worn down after 20 years of advocacy for a Chicago casino. There is a lot of money pushing for this presumed outcome: $738,030 in 2009 and 2010 to be exact have flowed to legislators, the parties and a few candidates for state constitutional offices from casino and horse racing companies. That’s money hard to compete with.
Last month, the Tribune broke ranks and editorialized against a casino for Chicago. This editorial spoke the truth to money power when it said the only issue is more money. In this case, more money for legislators to fritter away before coming back with their hands out asking for more.
While the raising and spending of money is an important issue, there is a greater issue to consider for Chicago. The change in the character of the city that – once made – can never be retracted.
That change would set the tone and reputation of the city, although much of it would be psychological. Look at Las Vegas or Atlantic City. They are known as gambling cities. Chicago has been known as a brawny working class city of grit and steel and, more recently, as a world class business center of finance and commerce.
Now fast forward 20 to Chicago as a gambling capital of the Midwest. Our reputation has further changed from a gritty city to one of high level business to one of fast action money-changers – whose profits flow to out-of-state owners.
As part of that change, families become dependent on gambling for a livelihood or a lifestyle. Instead of engaging in family activities, many will now be concerned with beating the slot machine. A few will even try and beat the cards they are dealt. But, as a poker player with my friends, that is difficult too. In the end a few winners will emerge, but most will be saying, “If I could just play one more time, I’d beat the machine.”
Instead of hard-working citizens, Chicago can look forward to trading in its “big shoulders” for a slouchy and bedraggled Chicagoan. Instead of being a city known for its hard work and grit, it will be known as a city addicted to gambling. For an image-obsessed city whose civic leaders still blanch at the supposed persistent status overseas of Al Capone as poster boy, this makes no sense.
Finally, building a Chicago casino hardly has overwhelming public support. While attractive to some as a panacea for a troubled economy, others recognize the cyclical nature of the economy. In down economic times, going to radical measures to raise capital is not wise. Slow and steady is still the best policy.
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Doug Dobmeyer has been a lobbyist, journalist and policy expert on gambling, low-income housing and poverty issues for the past 39 years in Chicago and Illinois. The Task Force to Oppose Casino Gambling in Chicago has existed for 20 opposing every attempt to bring casino gambling to this city.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on December 28, 2010