Chicago Labor Chief Proposes Thompson Center Casino
A well-known Chicago labor leader has proposed a casino to be sited in downtown Chicago, in the James R. Thompson Center, a problem-plagued state government building that originally opened in 1985 and has a distinctive, spaceship-like architectural design.
Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, praised the Thompson Center’s location “near hotels, convention facilities, mass transit, expressways, and public parking” as being ideal for a casino. The building also houses the Clark/Lake L Station, which is one of the busiest in Chicago’s mass transit system.
Under Ramirez’s proposal, the first floor of the building would be used for the casino floor, with the uppers levels being converted to serve as hotel rooms. The idea was originally brought forth by Jerry Roper, Chairman of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Ramirez’s backing adds considerable heft to the idea, as Ramirez enjoys a close relationship with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Chicago is the nation’s third largest city, and supporters of a downtown casino have long been involved in a debate with the historically anti-gambling Democratic Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, who vetoed a bill in August that would have allowed for the establishment of 4 new casinos in the state.
It appears that Quinn’s opinion of gambling is changing, however, amid the state’s continued financial woes. Late last year, local media outlets reported that Quinn and Mayor Emanuel were close to an agreement on the matter of a downtown casino, which supporters hope would bring a major influx of cash to the city.
Emanuel had no comment for the Chicago Sun-Times with regard to the Thompson Center proposal.
Should the Thompson Center, which occupies an entire city block at the intersection of Randolph and Clark Streets, be converted into a casino, the state would have to relocate the employees who are currently working the building.
Ramirez pointed out that the building, which is beset with heating and air conditioning problems, requires a major renovation and might be best given up by the state.
In 2011, Roper said of the Thompson Center, “As old as it is, it’s going to have to have a major renovation. Maybe you’re better off allowing somebody else to renovate it.”
Proponents of the downtown casino project also point out that Illinois is losing potential gaming revenue to Indiana, which has casinos situated just over the state line from the city. Ramirez praised the Thompson Center casino plan as being one that could be enacted relatively quickly, saying, “We’re losing money to Indiana every day this is not addressed.”
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is currently serving a 14-year federal prison term after being convicted of attempting to sell President Obama’s Senate seat in exchange for hefty campaign donations, proposed selling the building for the benefit of the state’s budget when he entered office.
That plan was unpopular and resulted instead in the state taking out a $10 million mortgage on the property, a tactic that was ultimately declared unconstitutional but not before Illinois incurred legal fees to the tune of $532,000.
