Empress Casino
Empress operates two gambling boats, one in Joliet, Illinois,
and the other in Hammond, Indiana. Both were owned by the Horseshoe
Gaming Holding Company until July 2001, when Horseshoe Gaming Holding
Company sold the Joliet casino to Argosy Gaming Company, a company
whose chairman is Republican power broker and former Illinois Department
of Transportation Secretary William Cellini, for $475 million. In
2000, the Illinois Gaming Board accused Horseshoe Gaming Holding
Company of failing to disclose its subsidiary interests, which include
the Horseshoe License Company and the South China Development Partnership,
and of over-reporting minority participation in its Louisiana casino
by millions of dollars. Empress Casino has, along with numerous
other gambling interests, threatened to cut hours and jobs at their
riverboat establishments in an effort to prevent a tax increase
on casinos. This follows closely on the heels of an intense lobbying
effort to allow casino expansion by putting electronic poker machines
in bars and race tracks as well as creating an additional casino
license.
Empress Casino is a career patron of former Senate President James
"Pate" Philip (R).
From 1993 to December 31, 2002, Empress Casino gave $1,002,000
to candidates for Illinois statewide constitutional and legislative
office, 56% of which was contributed to Republicans.
Last revised August, 2003.
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