PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria elected leaders seem to favor reducing the waiting period for new bars and restaurants which seek to add video gambling terminals at their establishments.
Council members largely approved of a recommendation Tuesday upon first reading which would reduce the current waiting period from 24 months to 12 months or possibly even less.
Staff with the city’s interim corporation council surveyed dozens of cities across Illinois and found 14 of them don’t require waiting periods for video gaming licenses at all.
Only one municipality, Edwardsville, required a longer wait of 36 months.
Most cities studied require only a 12 month waiting period.
“New start up restaurants in town and new restaurateurs are having to wait 24 months and they’ve expressed to us how that wait seems pretty excessive,” said Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich.
Council members across the dias appeared to favor even a reduction to just 6 months.
During the meeting, Urich also explained that the original 24 month waiting period was successful in deterring so-called “gaming parlors” from setting up shop in Peoria.
Elected leaders will come back in a future meeting to review the issue again and discuss further possible changes.
Late in the meeting, council also received complaints related to the increased licensing costs for small businesses to keep video gaming terminals.
John Hopkins, owner of The Neon Bison in downtown Peoria pleaded with council to find a better VGT licensing fee structure that both abides by earlier rulings from the Illinois Gaming Board and protects businesses from several thousand dollars per year in added cost.
“We have six machines so that will add another $3,000 out of our pocket this year,” said Hopkins.
According to city research, out of 66 establishments currently operating video gambling terminals in Peoria, the net income from those terminals totaled more than $1.8 million in July.
The city collected an estimated $92,437 in tax revenue from that income.
WINTER UTILITY ASSISTANCE
Without much extended discussion, council members approved an annual program offering thousands of dollars in utility assistance to local residents who have a hard time affording their energy bill.
Roughly $300 million in utility assistance has already been announced by the State of Illinois, but the city hopes to help even more residents who might fall through the cracks in the state assistance program.
According to meeting documents, funds will be provided for up to four consecutive months (November through February) at $150 per month (or the total amount of the bill owed if less than $150) for a maximum of $600.
The city says a total of $300,000 in funding is available to serve 500 households for four months.
Applicants will be selected via a virtual lottery.
