The Village Board of Trustees gathered Tuesday night to hear additional information on video gambling within Village limits during their regularly scheduled study session.
The State of Illinois voted to allow video gaming machines in qualifying licensed establishments, in 2009. After the state legislature legalized video gaming in those establishments, they also provided municipalities with the option to prohibit video gaming within their corporate limits. In 2009, the Mahomet Board of Trustees voted to wait and see how video gaming effected other communities before allowing it within Village limits.
Now with video gambling machines located in several nearby communities, and even right outside Village limits, the Board of Trustees will once again consider lifting the ban on video gaming machines next Tuesday night.
“We have talked about this for a long time,” Acting Mayor Sean Widener said. “We are not rushing into anything.”
Village Administrator Patrick Brown kicked off the discussion by highlighting how the proposed changes would affect the Village. While the Village staff recognizes that the tax from video gambling establishments would only bring in minimal revenue for the Village, Brown pointed out that the sales tax may bring in revenue between $230,000 and $360,000 per year.
Brown also said allowing gaming within Village limits may also have economic development implications. He told the board that the Village has been approached by businesses whose first question is whether or not video gambling is allowed within Village limits.
By allowing video gambling, the Village would have the option to annex some establishments already offering video gaming within the upcoming years. It would also pose Mahomet as a more desirable location for truck stops or travel centers, which would bring a healthy amount of gas tax to Mahomet, and may also attract fast food restaurants to the east side of Mahomet.
In previous meetings, the board had concerns over how State law might affect their decision should legislation be passed where more venues could host video gaming machines.
Brown showed the board a proposal where the Village would limit the number of liquor licenses distributed within the Village limits while also requiring that any establishment with video gaming machines keep their total gross revenue from gaming to less than 50 percent.
Brown believes that such limitations will keep establishments such as video cafes out of Village limits.
But opponents of lifting the ban say that limitations are meant to be tested. The Village Board was handed petitions filled with hundred of signatures, both for and against the ban. Mahomet resident Lori Ludwig asked the board to consider a referendum to see what the Mahomet residents really want when it comes to this issue.
Widener said that a non-binding referendum, meaning the board does not have to follow the outcome of the vote count, is on the table should Trustees choose to take that action.
Pastors from the Mahomet community asked the Trustees to consider the effect video gambling has on those with addictions. Eric Gustav of Lake of the Woods Church said that while video gaming may be the market standard at this point in time, it does not have to be the standard for business in Mahomet.
Professor John Kindt, who likens video gambling to using crack cocaine, talked about how after video gambling was instituted in other states, it has now been banned because of the adverse economic effects. He said video gambling is actually “anti-business” because it pulls resources which would be spent in other establishments.
Kindt also pointed out that while the State of Illinois put limitations on where video gaming machines could be located, video cafes have also popped up along with machines being located in floral shops and scuba shops because of those loopholes.
Dan Becker, a member of the Mahomet Economic Development Commission said that while he is sympathetic to the points made by video gaming opponents, he also believes that a continued ban will also be a vote against the development of the commercial community.
He said “If you say no to this, then you can have all the bad things the professor outlines, and you can’t have any of the good things (Brown) outlined.”
Mark Kesler from the EDC also wrote a letter in support of video gaming, and congratulated the Village for being so careful in their planning throughout this process.
Main Street Wingery owner Rich Minnick also spoke during the meeting. With a submitted petition from patrons, Minnick said he just wants a chance to level the playing field for his restaurant. He told the board members that customers have asked him for more than two years when he can get the machines in his establishment. He said he’s even lost customers because the machines are not available at the Wingery.
Minnick said he has played the machines as a way to pass time when having to wait for a table.
“People have a right to decide what’s best for them and their family,” Minnick said. “Don’t eat at the Main Street Wingery. There are plenty of (Mahomet) residents who don’t come. But there are quite a few people who do.”
