Feds Set Public Forum To Discuss Shabbona Gambling Center
DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — A gambling center with 24-hour bingo halls, restaurants and lounges may be on its way to the village of Shabbona.
The U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs is hosting a hearing Jan. 26 for the public to discuss the idea proposed by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Indian tribe.
The proposal is still years away from becoming a reality. The DeKalb Daily Chronicle reports that an environmental impact study paid for by the tribe could take up to two years to complete.
The tribe says the gambling center could create 400 new jobs, attract 930,000 visitors and generate over $12 million. But leaders of the DeKalb County Taxpayers Against the Casino say the number of jobs do not outweigh the costs to the village.
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