Senator Sullivan Sponsors Bill to Expand Gambling at State Fairgrounds

Senator John Sullivan (D-Quincy) is sponsoring HB 4758 to expand gambling against the wishes of the voters in Sangamon County. HB 4758 will expand horse racing at the State Fairgrounds from 6 days a year to 9 months a year. This will enable the track to open 6 new Off Track Betting parlors in Illinois. This week, co-chairs of the Governor's Illinois Works Coalition recommended an expansion of gambling that included electronic gambling (slot machines) at racetracks. This expansion, along with HB 4758, would create a land-based casino in Springfield!

A group of concerned citizens circulated petitions and collected over 12,000 signatures to but a referendum on the ballot when gambling interests proposed a casino near Springfield in 1994. Ninety percent of the voters (63,880) approved the referendum asking for the right to vote before gambling expanded in Sangamon County. Now, Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield), who worked with the citizens on the referendum when he was first running for office, is working with elected officials to expand gambling without a vote of the people. HB 4758 establishes a political board to issue contracts to conduct horse racing year round at the State Fairgrounds. This is a "back door" approach to get a land-based casino in Springfield.

Contact Senator Sullivan (782-2479 or 222-2295) and ask him to "hold the bill" and respect the voters in Sangamon County.