Casino for Quincy? Don’t Hold Your Breath!

Ok, I am on record for saying the City of Quincy blew it years ago when it didn't pursue the idea of having a gambling casino. The city council voted down the idea and then Mayor Chuck Scholz was against it as well. Well, since then LaGrange, Missouri has been garnering the rewards of being the home of the Mark Twain Casino and with it the monthly payments that city gets from the casino for doing so. Imagine, the money Quincy would be getting for being the home of a casino? Not to mention all the residual monies going to hotels, motels, restaurants and shopping districts from visitors to our town. I mentioned this a few years ago to my alderman when the state had one casino license to give out. I asked him to pursue it for Quincy. He did bring it up for discussion at a council meeting but it was shot down again. Well, the Illinois House Wednesday approved a gambling bill which, in part, would allow the cash strapped State of Illinois to add four new casinos in the state. They would be located in Chicago, Rockford, Danville and near the Waukegan area. This measure still needs to be approved by the Governor before it can happen. It's unfortunate the City of Quincy wasn't prepared to be one of those four cities to be potentially awarded a license. Any chance this city can find a revenue source is a chance the city should take. Unfortunately, Quincy wasn't prepared or interested in a business that creates jobs and tax revenue in a time when every dollar counts. That's too bad. I guess we will sit back some more and wait to see who will get the next casinos when that time comes. Unless we go after it, Quincy won't be on that list either.