Peoria Withdraws Lawsuit Against Boyd Gaming Over Casino Construction Plans
Peoria Ends Legal Dispute With Boyd Gaming
The City of Peoria has officially dropped its lawsuit against Boyd Gaming, the Illinois Gaming Board, and the City of East Peoria. This decision came after Boyd Gaming abandoned its initial proposal to build a 29,000-square-foot casino on the existing Par-A-Dice Casino site in Peoria.
Shift in Boyd Gaming’s Casino Development Strategy
Peoria’s withdrawal from legal proceedings followed Boyd Gaming’s surprising announcement to relocate its new casino project to East Peoria. Instead of constructing a land-based casino on the current site, Boyd now plans to place a permanently moored casino barge along the Illinois River. This move complied with state law and respects a 1991 agreement between Peoria and East Peoria limiting land-based casinos to Peoria’s boundaries.
Unexpected Announcement Triggers City Council Actions
The new casino barge plan caught Peoria officials off guard, particularly just days after the City Council was split evenly in a vote on settling the dispute. The settlement would have granted Peoria a 2.25% share of gaming revenues, approximately $1.8 million yearly, in exchange for dropping objections to the original land-based casino plans.
City Council Vote and Legal Implications
The council vote saw five members opposing the settlement offer, while five supported it, with one member absent. Rather than approving the deal, the council pursued legal action, arguing Boyd’s efforts to label the land-based casino as a riverboat with a shallow pool underneath violated both state law and the prior intergovernmental agreement.
Potential Reinstatement of Lawsuit and Upcoming Decisions
Following Boyd Gaming’s shift to the riverboat casino plan, Peoria lifted the lawsuit but has indicated readiness to reinstate it if Boyd reverts to its previous plans. The Illinois Gaming Board is set to vote on Boyd’s riverboat casino proposal on February 26, a decision that will significantly influence the project’s future.
