135 and to defray State expenses.”4 The text’s heavy economic flavoring makes it clear that riverboat gambling was, from the start, meant purely for monetary gain. Meanwhile, Section 5 of the act declared the establishment of an Illinois Gaming Board, a group of five members appointed by the governor that would have authority over all powers mentioned in the Act, including the ability to greenlight riverboat construction efforts by granting an organizational gaming license as the board saw fit.5 However, the board granted such licenses sparingly, as can be seen in one case in December 1990. During this time, Arnie Millan, the vice president for the Steamboat Casino River Cruises of Bettendorf, Iowa, turned his eyes to the Fox River, and promptly proposed the legalization of riverboat gambling. The board, comprised of mixed opinions, ultimately rejected his proposal due to the minimal time they had to form a decision.6 Similar stories were commonplace, but even so, the emergence of riverboat casinos would soon prove to be significant to the Fox River. After the instatement of the Riverboat Gambling Act, the practice would quickly grow in popularity. The first riverboat casino constructed along the Fox River, the Empress River Casino, was created six miles south of Joliet in June 1992 and would herald an era of widespread riverboat construction.7 Within the next two years alone, six new riverboat casinos launched along the Fox River, each of which offered its own accommodations ranging from craps and roulette to blackjack.8 Among the most notable was Harrah’s Casino Joliet fifty miles southwest of Chicago, which featured an entire mega-yacht comprising of three 210-foot decks, along with the City of Lights I, a 145-foot 4 Ibid, Sec. #2. Legislative intent. 5 Ibid, Sec. #5. Gaming Board. 6 V, Dion Haynes. "Riverboat Gambling on the Rocks: Despite Sagging Economy, Elgin Mayor Expects Council to Reject Plan." Chicago Tribune (1963-1996), Dec 25, 1990. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/imsa.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/riverboatgambling-on-rocks/docview/1444456180/se-2. 7 "Six Casinos Afloat in Chicago Area." New York Times (1923-), Feb 20, 1994. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/imsa.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/six-casinosafloat-chicago-area/docview/109297494/se-2. 8 Ibid.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjg3OTMy