The Illinois Gaming Board has just received some advice. Senate President Emil Jones recommended to the board that Emerald Casino not lose its gambling license, but rather be responsible for selling it to save minority investors in the casino a great deal of money. Jones spoke at Connie Payton's request. Payton is the wife of late Chicago Bears start Walter Payton. She is one of the casino 23 minority investors in the casino.
Due to misdeeds, officials decided that the need to decide whether or not to revoke the gambling license for the casino was necessary. Abner Mikva, a retired federal judge who presided over the initial proceedings advised to take away the license from the casino. The board has still not come to a final decision regarding the matter.
The influential Democratic leader from Chicago, in his first appearance before the board, argued that nearly two dozen Hispanic and African-American women were minority investors, with a total of $33 million invested in Emerald Casino. This money would be lost if the board agreed with Mikva and revoked the casino gambling license. Casino officials may have misled gambling regulators by bringing in outside investors who were involved with organized crime, but the original 18 minority investors had never broken the law in any way. Emerald Casino will have to wait patiently for the final decision of the Illinois Gaming Board.
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