Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. began the review process Friday, meeting privately with some city council members to discuss the document being prepared to help bring a casino to Danville. The mayor says he wanted to meet with aldermen to discuss the path forward for whatever company is selected. Governor Pritzker is yet to sign the gambling expansion legislation, but Mayor Williams is getting ready. He has been meeting with Vermilion Advantage and representatives from the Vermilion Development Corporation. It will be up to the Danville City Council to approve a development agreement.
Some people fear bringing a casino to town will increase crime, but Jeanie Cooke, Director of the Danville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau disagrees….
And while there has been much attention on jobs it could create to work at the casino, Cooke notes it would also bring other jobs….
State Representative Mike Marron has said he thinks a casino could help make Danville a destination community for travelers – especially with Kickapoo State Park and the county parks located here. Cooke agrees there are reasons more people would want to travel here…
Cooke adds the renovated Fischer Theater will also be a big draw for Danville.
