Story posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Casino Plan On To Council
By TODD WESSELL Journal & Topics Editor
With final state suitability approval looming just over the horizon, members of the Des Plaines Plan Commission Monday night unanimously approved preliminary plans for the new $1 billion Des Plaines casino project on the city's far southeast corner near River Road and Devon Avenue.
The matter now advances to city council where members of the Community Development Committee were scheduled to hear the latest plans and agree on a recommendation last night (Tuesday). Officials are hoping for final aldermanic approval of various zoning and land use issues at city council's Feb. 16 meeting with demolition of several buildings on the site expected to kick-off sometime in March. If that goes as planned, actual construction of the 140,000 sq. ft. casino building and attached 1,242-space, four-level parking garage would begin around July with the opening of the gaming operation within the next 16 to 19 months. State law is limiting the number of gaming positions at the casino to 1,200.
Final Illinois Gaming Board approval of Midwest Gaming and Entertainment's suitability to own and operate the casino is expected soon, according to project manager Mike Levin who appeared at Monday night's meeting. The suitability process was launched after the gaming board approved Midwest's plan in December of 2008.
Approximately 10 representatives of Midwest appeared at the Plan Commission meeting in city hall Monday night with about five speaking. They unveiled more specifics about the massive project that designates Des Plaines as the site of the state's 10th licensed riverboat casino on a 20-acre parcel located on the west side of River Road north of Devon. Currently, there are 11 office buildings on the property, which will have to be demolished. Tenants in several of the buildings have already been informed that they must soon vacate their space to make way for the project. One tenant, Jim Hess of Citywide Printing, expressed concern that his forced move will cost as much as $40,000.
"I've been there for 20 years," said Hess. "I need time to relocate" explaining that moving large printing equipment is both costly and time consuming. Scott Strusiner of Midwest said tenants will be instructed to leave on a gradual basis and that Hess will receive notice to vacate in the "near future."
Midwest and the city have been working on developing the casino on the River Road property since 2002 in large part because of the belief that it will be one if not the most successful casinos in Illinois due to its close proximity to O'Hare Airport, Chicago and a densely populated region of northern Illinois. Host community tax revenue flowing into Des Plaines coffers could amount from $9 to $10 million a year.
Plans call for the acreage to be developed in two phases the first of which will include the casino and parking deck. The deck would connect to the casino with an overhead walkway. Besides the 1,242 parking slots inside the garage, another 773 ground level parking spaces will be provided next to the casino. Of the 140,000 sq. ft. inside the casino, approximately 43,000 sq. ft. will be gaming floor space with the remainder back areas, which the public won't see, and 30,000 sq. ft. where food and beverages will be served. Levin said that on a typical Friday or Saturday night, as many as 2,000 to 2,300 people will visit the casino with another 300 to 400 employees on the site. The operation will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Phase 2 of the plan calls for construction of two high-rise hotels, one 11-stories tall and the other 15-stories encompassing 800 rooms. They would be located just south of the casino toward Devon Avenue with one of the hotels attached to the gaming hall. What may also be included in the second phase is construction of another 80,000 sq. ft. of space for restaurants and retail stores. A second parking garage will also be built.
When asked about providing areas for taxi cabs and buses, Levin said two spots in front of the casino will be established for cab drop off and pickup and Midwest is in talks with PACE suburban bus agency to establish a stop in front of the casino on River Road. As for the possibility of bus tours bringing gamblers to the facility, Levin said representatives of Midwest do not believe that will be a major factor here.
"We are hoping to get shuttle traffic from area hotels and the convention center," said a Midwest consultant referring to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
Because of the desire and need to attract customers along the adjacent Tri-State Tollway and River Road, Midwest is seeking city permission to include in its plans large amounts of electronic signage. The preliminary design of the project calls for 54 LED electronic lighted signs on nearly all building elevations with the largest being 40-ft. tall and 40-ft. wide. Plan commissioner Don Kellerman expressed concern about the large size of the sign asking "where will it go?" Levin said it will be posted along the tollway.
"It will be done in a tasteful manner," said Levin. "We have a $400 to $500 million investment (first phase). We won't have anything cheesy here."
In order to accommodate Midwest on its need for large and numerous signs, commission members agreed to recommend that a new C-6 Large Entertainment/Casino zoning district be approved. The property is currently zone C-2. All motions involving preliminary approval of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) on the site along with amendments to the city's zoning and subdivision codes were approved by 5 to 0 votes.
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