Chicago is actively pursuing the possibility of installing slot machines at O’Hare and Midway Airports — and Bally’s has identified a site for those machines at Midway, a top mayoral aide disclosed Tuesday.
Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski made that surprise announcement during the first day of City Council hearings on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $16.6 billion budget.
“We’ve had a conversation with Bally’s about moving that forward. … We have been in conversation with them about investigating that. They have expressed interest,” Jaworski said. “There are some technical challenges that we have to deal with — ensuring that we’re complying with all the regulations that are at the airports. But those conversations have been ongoing. They have identified a site at Midway and we continue to work to move that forward.”
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) was delighted to hear that the airport slot machine idea he has championed was finally moving forward.
He thought it was dead when senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee tried to ground the idea, telling the Chicago Sun-Times in early August that installing slots at O’Hare and Midway would turn the aerial gateways to Chicago into a chintzy Las Vegas replica.
“They’re finally starting to realize that any form of revenue, especially given the deficit we’re facing, should be on the table. And this would generate anywhere between $30 million to $40 million,” Villegas said. “This was a layup. The General Assembly gave us this authority three or four years ago in the casino bill. And it’s a shame that the previous administration and this administration haven’t acted to look at all of the revenue that’s on the table instead of nickel-and-diming people.”
Lee has argued that the last thing a booming O’Hare needs after a record-setting surge in summer travel is to follow the lead of Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, which has 1,300 slot machines distributed throughout its terminals.
Slot machines are impossible to miss at that airport, formerly named McCarran. They’re everywhere — from the baggage claim area and retail space to terminal gates and car rental kiosks.
“I don’t know if a broader expansion or Vegas-style slots in a Chicago airport would really be something that the public is interested in,” Lee said in August. “That would be a pretty significant change to the culture of our airports. Chicago is not known primarily as a gaming destination like Las Vegas. It would … raise a number of concerns.”
Villegas has a pending ordinance that would authorize installation of hundreds of video gambling machines beyond security checkpoints at O’Hare and Midway.
On Tuesday, the Economic and Capital Development Committee chair once again scoffed at the notion that airport slot machines would somehow diminish Chicago’s reputation as a classy city.
“Absolutely not. This would give passengers an opportunity to kill time while they’re waiting to fly out or they’re delayed or they’re being rerouted to Chicago, given all of the challenges with air traffic controllers,” Villegas said.
“You’re supposed to get to the airport two to three hours ahead of time. This would allow adults 21 and over to kill some time, capture some dollars from visitors coming through the city and give [Bally’s] the ability to promote itself in case those folks come back and have the opportunity to visit the land-based casino,” he said.
Villegas said slot machines should be confined to segregated lounges beyond the security checkpoint. They would essentially serve as “mini-casinos” where food and drinks could be purchased.
“It would be sectioned in an area where it’s not chintzy. Just like when I fly, I go to the United Club to grab a bite to eat, maybe get a drink while I’m waiting for my flight,” Villegas said. “If a lounge was available and I felt like it, maybe I’d go spend 10 or 20 bucks to kill more time, maybe get lucky and get some additional spending money for my trip.”