Support From Representative William Q. Davis

Dear Chairman Schmadeke and Board Members,

I write to offer my strong support for the proposal submitted by Wind Creek Hospitality (WCH) to develop a casino in the Villages of East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

As a lifelong resident of the south suburbs and the State Representative of the 30th District since 2003, I am in full support of WCH’s efforts to develop a casino in East Hazel Crest and Homewood, two strong, stable, and diverse communities. These municipalities have chosen WCH, a responsible and ethical operator, who already manages 10 properties with best-in-class amenities throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

Their proposal for the south suburbs is one that will maximize state and local revenue as well as bring additional benefits to the entire region. Their location, just off I-80/294 at Illinois 1, which is minutes west of the Indiana border has nearly 80 million vehicles pass through every year. The WCH casino will create 800 new jobs, not including construction work, and they have a proven track record of hiring local residents for its casinos. They also have had preliminary conversations with local community colleges about hosting job fairs to identify local applicants. In addition, they have made a commitment to work with local vendors as well as veterans, women and minority owned merchants.

To add, they also have a strong history of giving back in the communities they serve. At present, in partnership with East Hazel Crest and Homewood, WCH has created a Southland Public Benefit Fund that will support scholarships for disadvantaged students and supports health services in the south suburban region. WCH will begin distributing funds in the first year of the casino’s operations, with a goal of distributing $1 million annually beginning in the sixth year. WCH offers the best opportunity for the long-awaited south suburban casino to fulfill its promise to the community.

Therefore, I respectfully request the Illinois Gaming Board gives full and fair consideration to the application submitted by Wind Creek Hospitality to develop a casino in the Villages of East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Rep. William Q. Davis
Assistant Majority Leader
30th District of Illinois