THE FOLLOWING STORY IS WRITTEN BY BILL PICKETT
The Executive Director of the Danville Area Visitors Bureau, Jeanie Cooke, is excited about last week’s advancement of plans for a local casino….
AUDIO: Well I’m very excited for the community. That means that dollars into the community, and tax dollars; and for the Convention and Visitors Bureau of course; that means tourism, hotel-motel tax and restaurant tax, and all the different benefits that come in for a local community.
Cooke notes Danville already has nice hotels near where the casino is planned. She says the Saltgrass Steakhouse and Bar that is coming with the casino, will be a welcome addition to that area…
AUDIO: One of the issues that we hear about all the time is there’s no restuarant among our hotels. So it’ll add to that, bringing more people into the hotels, when there’s a restaurant to eat and something to do in that area. So I can see it really growing. And of course it’s not just a casino, but the other development that’s going on in that area, with the FedEx distribution center; because tourism isn’t about a vacation, it is about anyone who doesn’t live here bringing in dollars. So we’re very excited about the casino and all the activity that’s happening in Danville right now.
The Illinois Gaming Board last week found Danville Development LLC suitable for a proposed Golden Nugget Casino in Danville. Phase one of the casino’s development includes over 41,000 square feet of gaming space, 500 slot machines and two restaurants. If all goes as planned it could open in February of next year.
