Country Club Hills has several hurdles to climb before placing any bets on this proposed casino, including obtaining legislative approval and competition with nearby cities. Christian Farr reports.
A Nevada company is rolling the dice on a plan to build a $250 million casino in south suburban Country Club Hills.
Cannery Casino Resorts wants to build the casino and 200-room hotel at Cicero Avenue and 175th Street, near the Interstate 80 and Interstate 57 interchange.
Officials say the development will create 1,000 permanent full-time jobs, and around $50 million in the first year of operation.
But the company has a long road to travel before it gets to that point. Any new casino would need legislative approval, and Gov. Pat Quinn has already vetoed a casino expansion bill this year that would have allowed for a riverboat casino in a south suburban location.
Quinn said that the bill as proposed lacked proper ethical oversight including "loopholes for mobsters."
If a bill does eventually pass, Country Club Hills wouldn't exactly be a shoo-in. Other south suburban cities have expressed interest in a casino as well.
Officials unveiled their plans for the casino at a news conference Tuesday including an artist's rendering of what it would look like.
