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Casino hopefuls betting that size does matter Scope of Country Club Hills plan could set it apart Friday, January 9, 2004 By John Dobberstein Staff writer A handful of organizers hope a sprawling casino and entertainment complex in Country Club Hills would be more innovative and palatable than other casino plans soon to be paraded before gaming regulators. The newly formed Southland Development Group plans to build a casino, convention and conference center, a family resort and two hotels on 275 acres of property just north of Interstate 80. The developers laid out their proposal in a meeting Thursday with the Southtown's editorial board. SDG is comprised of Gatling Community Development Inc. ‹ run by the Gatling family ‹ and Merit Management Group LP, whose CEO, Joseph Canfora, is a former president of Empress Casino Inc. and a gaming industry veteran. Other south suburbs and school districts would share in casino revenue, and an enterprise zone would be created to boost the development. Canfora declined to release specifics at this time. Canfora predicts the Country Club Hills plan would bring new economic life to the south suburbs, boost tourism in the region and stop the drain of gaming revenue into Indiana. Canfora also argues that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks changed the dynamics of travel at O'Hare International Airport, meaning a casino in Rosemont might not be as lucrative now. The entertainment complex's proximity to I-80 and I-57 would serve as a pipeline of new customers, bringing in people from out of state. "If we have an unbelievable entertainment destination, we think (customers are) going to stop," Canfora said. "We're bringing in new revenues." One complaint aimed at the original Emerald Casino, which would have been in Rosemont near O'Hare, was that it would draw gamblers away from Elgin's Grand Victoria Casino, Illinois' most profitable riverboat casino. "We're not recirculating revenues up (in Rosemont)," Canfora said. He also envisions a project that raises the kind of money that will give small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Southland a chance to grow. In addition to the casino, hotels and conference centers, a children's arcade, bowling alley and 9,000-seat auditorium for hosting national events are on the drawing board. Negotiations are under way with companies that would operate such features. If the development happens, patrons would have a view of the water while they dine at well-known Chicago-area restaurants that are currently being courted. Lafayette Gatling and his wife, Marguerite, have owned 454 acres of property near I-80 and I-57 for 10 years, and they've been working to develop the land long before the casino talk started, Canfora said. A large movie theater is already up and running just east of the proposed casino, and a Wal-Mart store and housing for seniors is planned on the land. "The most important thing, is that we have something for the whole family," Lafayette Gatling said of the casino plan. "We're interested in jobs for the community." If SDG does not win the license, Gatling said, he will try to press on with other aspects of the development plan. Still, the casino would be the prime generator of tourism and development. The saga of the state's last casino license began in 1999 when state lawmakers agreed to allow Emerald to move its riverboat license from Galena to Rosemont. But in 2001, allegations of mob ties and misleading statements from Emerald executives sunk the plan, setting off legal battles that have stalled operation of a gambling boat ever since. The gaming board has approved a settlement agreement reached in December between the Illinois Attorney General and Emerald investors, but the village of Rosemont has vowed to fight the settlement in federal bankruptcy court. And recently, an Illinois Appellate Court decision that said the gaming board was required to approve a license for Emerald Casino has added to the confusion. Crestwood, Summit, and Calumet City also have expressed interest in building a casino and are expected to submit applications to the gaming board on Jan. 19. Des Plaines, Waukegan and Rosemont also may bid. Canfora insists the Country Club Hills plan meets the goal of Illinois' original gambling legislation ‹ to support gaming projects that boost tourism "over a wide geographical area" and consider "economically depressed communities." The participation of the Gatlings, who are black, demonstrates a true "minority-driven" development, he said. And if politics plays a role, Canfora suggests the Southland's Democratic leanings may work in the region's favor. "We have a new governor and a new set of politicians in Illinois," he said. "Things have changed." |
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