Illinois Weighs In On Slots at Arlington Racetrack
Illinois racetrack Arlington Park wants to bring in slots. That’s not uncommon in the world of racing. Since the recession, racetracks have taken a huge hit and have yet to even come close to reaching the heights of popularity they once had. During the economic downturn people had to cut back on everything…that meant everything from groceries and dining out to cable and clothing. People had to rework their budgets and think more frugally than ever. Racetracks were the last thing on people’s minds when struggling with bills. Consumers stopped all entertainment expenses and that included racing. Since the recession, racetracks throughout the world have all suffered. Many have had to cutback and others had to file for bankruptcy protection to sustain operations.
That brings Illinois’ Arlington Park into the mix. The racetrack wants to take the same road that a lot of other racetracks have and start bringing in slot machines to increase revenues. Slot machines have a history of performance throughout their lifespan. From the late 1800s slots have been highly attractive to gamblers. Though the games began in San Francisco, places as far away at New York were clammoring for a slot machine of their own. The reason was that small pubs and bars immediately realized how lucrative the games were and how effective they were at attracting a new customer base.
Now Arlington Park is falling on the same argument. To increase revenues, they must start offering something new. When Illinois decided to bring in slot machines for the bars and restaurants, there was no discussion. Counties were told to be prepared that 45,000 slot machines were coming to the state, and that if they had any questions they could ask them after they were already legalized. However, as they quickly saw, more than 40 of the governmental bodies that have the option of bringing in slot machines have voted against them. That means that former projections of revenue from slots are highly overestimated. Now the state is left to rethink how much money will actually be coming into state coffers. It may not be difficult to get slots legalized, but bringing in the number of slots first anticipated is most likely off the table for now. Only time will tell where the state’s slots plan will be in years. Hopefully legislators will come up with a plan that maximizes slots revenue, without threatening the public.
Tags: Arlington Park, race, racino, slots
