Orland Park Trustees Approve Video Gambling In Village Boundaries

ORLAND PARK, IL — Video gaming is here to stay in Orland Park.

The board of trustees voted Monday night to approve 21 licenses for businesses that serve alcohol and that want to add gambling terminals to their offerings.

Under the new ordinance, Mayor Keith Pekau, who also serves as liquor commissioner, was given the power to approve or deny the licenses and to waive requirements, including probationary and waiting periods. He can appoint review committees, as needed. Licenses beyond the limit will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the full board.

The move comes one year Orland Park's trustees overrode a "no" vote on dueling advisory referendums to permit video gaming in village boundaries. At the time, the mayor and trustees said they needed another revenue stream to compensate for the diminishing revenue from Orland Square Mall and other brick-and-mortar retailers. Owners of establishments with Class A liquor licenses said they needed video gaming to compete against corporate franchises and nearby towns where video gaming is allowed.

The board crafted a restrictive ordinance to pilot gaming, and permitted a limited number of licenses. They were required to review the decision after a 365-day waiting period. According to the Illinois Gaming Board, during the past 12 months, Orland drew $87,875 from 17 licensed businesses that offer gaming. Officials had estimated revenues of $250,000.

Four applications are in process for video gaming terminals and could be approved in coming weeks. There were no other applications pending, officials added.

With Monday's vote, businesses owners of establishments that serve liquor can apply for a license, and they can add no more than five terminals to their premises. They also cannot offer video gaming if they are within 300 feet of another location that already offers it, or within 100 feet of a school or place of worship.

The measure was not without opposition. Through his questioning, trustee Dan Calandriello determined that Orland Park has issued 70 liquor licenses. By eliminating the 21 covered by the ordinance and those disqualified under it, another 40 or so businesses could petition the mayor for a license — a potential expansion of gaming he and other trustees were not comfortable with.

"I think it’s way too early to expand it more," he said. "It’s too early to tell the effects on our town."

Trustee Jim Dodge questioned whether Pekau, as liquor commissioner, was given too much power with this new role. He pointed out that role the board played in reviewing, approving and revoking licenses was not clearly outlined in the ordinance. Village attorney Dennis Walsh said that a provision that permits the board to approve or deny an expansion of the 21-license threshold was an attempt to keep power in check. The ordinance, he said, is "similar" to Orland's liquor-license laws.

Dodge disagreed. The pilot ordinance, he said, did not permit the mayor to waive license requirements. He said he feared that this new ability to do that without board approval could lead to the proliferation of gaming or small gaming parlors.

"I don’t think anyone in Orland Park had in mind that number of gaming establishments," he said after the meeting, referring to the potential candidate pool. "There is way too much power in the office of the mayor unchecked by the full board."

"We just weakened our own gaming ordinance," he added. "Shame on them."

Trustees Michael Milani, Bill Healy and Cynthia Nelson Katsenes, as well as Mayor Keith Pekau voted for the measure. Trustees Kathleen Fenton, Calandriello and Dodge opposed it.