Peoria Council Split Vote Stops Boyd Gaming Casino Deal

The Peoria City Council has rejected a proposed agreement that would have ended the city’s opposition to a major upgrade of the Par-A-Dice casino in East Peoria, setting up a possible long court fight.

Split Vote Ends Hopes for Par-A-Dice Redevelopment Settlement

In a special meeting on Monday, council members split 5-5, with one member missing, and blocked approval of a deal with Boyd Gaming, the Las Vegas company that owns the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino. The failed agreement would have given Peoria a cut of the money from Boyd’s planned $160 million casino and hotel project, as reported by local media outlet WCBU.

The plan would have given Peoria about 2.25% of the adjusted gross revenue from the revamped property. City officials thought this could bring in around $1.8 million. This money would have been on top of the existing deal, where Peoria and East Peoria share local gaming taxes.

The fight is about a deal made between the two cities in 1991. This agreement says that East Peoria should have riverboat casinos, while Peoria gets any permanent, land-based gambling places. Boyd Gaming wants to swap out the current riverboat casino for a new building on land near where it is now. The company calls this project an “updated riverboat,” but the design has a small man-made pool of water under part of the building. This makes people wonder if it counts as a riverboat like the agreement requires.

Peoria Faces Court Fight Following Collapse of Casino Revenue Deal

Several council members who voted against the deal argued that Boyd Gaming bought the Par-A-Dice property knowing the agreement’s limits and should stick to them. They felt sure Peoria had a strong legal case and hinted that saying no to the current offer might make Boyd Gaming come back with better terms.

Those who backed the deal, including Mayor Rita Ali, stressed the financial risks of a long court battle. City lawyers warned that fighting any approval from the Illinois Gaming Board could take years and maybe cost the city over $1 million in lawyer fees if the case goes to the state’s top court. They also pointed out that even winning in court would not force Boyd Gaming to move the casino into Peoria or start rebuilding.

Some supporters of the deal saw the suggested payments as a practical middle ground. They argued that guaranteed money now was better than an uncertain result after years of court fights. Now that the deal is off, Peoria has to choose whether to try talking with Boyd Gaming again or get ready to take them to court. At the same time, the Illinois Gaming Board will look at Boyd’s plan to fix up the area soon. Their choice could affect what happens next in the fight between the two nearby cities.