Client: Rivers Casino
Source: Time Warner Cable News
Rivers Casino offers far more than capital revenue to Des Plaines. Nearby hotels have seen occupancy rates catapult, and Rivers donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to community projects:
“In 2011, city leaders decided to only spend that revenue on capital construction projects, which are controlled one-time costs – “any gambling (revenue) can fluctuate,” says Bartholomew. In the last five years, Des Plaines has transferred part of the city to a new municipal water source, begun a major drainage and road reconstruction project on South River Road, and completed a number of smaller drainage improvement projects. All of it was entirely funded through casino money.
The benefits don’t end there. Aside from the city’s shared revenue agreement, it also collects food and beverage taxes, and property taxes. Nearby hotels have seen their occupancy rates skyrocket, and there is evidence that Rivers Casino draws people to explore Des Plaines, too.”
Time Warner Cable News, “All In: Rivers Casino is Big Money for This Illinois City,” June 29, 2016