New Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel got his wish in the Illinois House, and as far as I know he didn’t even have to send a dead fish or any other threat to get it. The state House of Representatives passed a bill allowing a casino in Chicago. The bill now moves to the Senate, where Emanuel is urging them to pass it swiftly.

By a 65-50 vote, the House passed a bill that would allow four additional casinos in Illinois, including one in Chicago. The legislation would also allow slot machines to be added to the state’s racetracks and to the two airports in Chicago.

Emanuel supports the legislation and has lobbied lawmakers in the House and Senate on behalf of bringing a casino to Chicago. He has talked to members of both parties and has also lobbied the governor. After the House passed the bill, Emanuel issued a statement saying that “a Chicago casino will spur local economic growth and provide jobs to Chicagoans, both needed to get our city moving again.”

Often when someone says that a casino will boost an economy, someone else rolls their eyes and says that it won’t do much. However, it’s hard to make that case for Chicago. Though the city doesn’t have its own casino, there is one across the border in Hammond, Indiana, which is only 25 miles away. The casino there gets so much business from Chicago that they refer to themselves as a Chicago entertainment business. Half-joking, Emanuel said recently that “we have a casino in Chicago,” but that “it just happens to be located in Hammond, Indiana.”

Terry Link, the senator sponsoring the bill in his chamber, says that he expects it to clear the Senate easily. He also expects Governor Pat Quinn to “take a long hard look” at the legislation, eventually signing it to avoid turning down billions of tax dollars and new jobs.

Tags: Chicago gambling, gambling expansion, Illinois gambling, Rahm Emanuel

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