At least for now, Rolling Meadows won`t get the backing of the Greater Woodfield Convention and Visitors Bureau for its controversial casino proposal, officials say.
”There was not enough material available to make a judgment on the tourism impact of the casino,” said Thomas Rivera, the president of the tourism bureau.
On Tuesday, the bureau`s board of directors held a private meeting in which presentations were given by officials from Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights, which opposes the casino.
The board decided to wait for more information before making a final decision on the issue, Rivera said.
Rolling Meadows Mayor Carl Couve and city manager Robert Beezat, among other city officials, told the board that the casino is ”tourism-related and that is the basis we are listening to them on,” Rivera said.
At the same time, Ed Duffy, president of Arlington International Racecourse made the case that ”the project should not be backed by the bureau because it will cause harm to the area`s largest tourism attraction,” Rivera said.
A Wisconsin-based St. Croix Chippewa Indian tribe is seeking approval from the state and the U.S. secretary of the interior to build a casino in Rolling Meadows.
After their presentation on the benefits of the casino, which officials say would draw 15,000 or more people a day, Rolling Meadows promised to gather more information before asking the board to vote.
”Just basic information on the type and demographics of the people who will attend” is still needed, Rivera said.
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”Specifically, how many will be overnight guests, as opposed to people who will be local and would not be expected to contribute to the economy of the tourism industry,” he said.
The racing industry is conducting a study to show the impact of the casino on the region.