Riverboat Casinos Rebuild Small Towns, Promote Charities
Riverboat casinos were launched in Illinois 15 years ago with a single mandate -- create new jobs. Now that they are flourishing, these entertainment venues are also becoming civic leaders, funding local charities, and helping the poor prepare income tax returns as well as finance other vital, social services.
There are a total of nine casinos across the Midwestern State, in towns like Alton, Aurora, Elgin, Joliet, East Peoria, East St. Louis, Metropolis and Rock Island. The Hollywood Casino in Aurora, which opened 13 years ago, employs nearly 1,000 local folks.
The project achieved all of the financial goals hoped for, including increasing visitors, creating jobs and giving other local businesses an increased flow of possible clients. “The first year the boat opened, our hotel revenue went up 18 percent," said Vos.
Positive Impact
That's not the only positive impact. Across the state, the revenue growth has been far beyond what was initially expected. “When the casino announced it was coming to town in the early 1990s, there was significant public investment made in downtown infrastructure to improve the neighborhood, specifically in the Riverwalk and streetscape enhancements,” said Karen Christensen, director, Aurora Downtown Development. “Hollywood Casino has continued to upgrade its property, including a $75 million construction project for the barge a couple of years ago. This translates to jobs for the community."The Grand Victoria Casino, in nearby Elgin, draws nearly 4 million people annually and has become the fifth most popular tourist attraction in Illinois, she noted. With growth, has come social responsibility. The Grand Victoria Foundation handles corporate outreach. A local program, Elgin Grantworks, was launched in 2001 to expand the efforts of grant-making, community engagement and outreach. “This year, more than 45 Elgin-based organizations are supported by the Foundation,” said program director Toya Randall. “This year, we will award approximately $1 million to efforts supporting Elgin. Everything we do is within the charitable context. The work that we do is aimed at strengthening the economic and educational fabric of the local community. When folks are economically self-sufficient, it definitely impacts the local business community.”
A few years ago, the Elgin Grantworks started a bi-annual conference series featuring leading experts in nonprofit management and strategy from across the country.
Helping Working Families
“The 2006 conference, attracted more than 200 board members, executive directors, staff and volunteers from more than 80 organizations across four states,” Randall said. Last year, the Greater Elgin Child and Family Care Center opened as a result of public-private partnership led by the Grand Victoria Foundation and Elgin Grantworks. “Identifying the need of working families in Elgin, this state-of-the-art facility provides full-day child care to nearly 200 children,” said Randall.To help working families in Elgin, The Grand Victoria Foundation has provided funding to the Center for Economic Progress to support the costs of free income tax preparation and counseling for low-income workers in the city. “This program helps work credit and other tax benefits,” Randall said. To date, more than 4,000 individuals and families have been served resulting in tax returns totaling more than $3 million, she said, noting that other casinos in other Illinois towns have had similar charitable projects.
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