Kewanee considers expanding gaming fees program

Mike Berry
·1 min read
Gamblers try their luck at slot machines.
Gamblers try their luck at slot machines.

Restaurants and bars in Kewanee have to pay a $25 annual fee to the city for various amusement devices.From jukeboxes to shuffleboard tables to pinball machines — even dart boards — the establishment’s owner must pay the fee for every device on the premises.

But for the state-sanctioned gambling machines found in local bars and gaming parlors, the city doesn’t charge a fee.

That may change. The City Council Monday discussed starting to charge the fee for the gaming devices too.City Manager Gary Bradley said there are 101 of the machines in the city’s businesses, so a $25 fee would bring in $2,525 a year.

Mayor Gary Moore said there once was a state regulation saying cities couldn’t charge fees for the gambling machines. But that rule is no longer in effect, Moore said.

The council didn’t decide on whether to charge the fee. Bradley said he would contact other Illinois cities to see how they treat the gaming machines.

Also Monday:

  • The council awarded a contract to Todd Boers to demolish a house at 514 N. Lexington Ave. for $6,890.

  • Hutchison Engineering was hired to assist the city with preparing an application for a grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program.

  • A Tax Increment Financing (TIF) grant of $25,000 was approved for JKL Enterprises, which would be part of the cost of restoring the Shamrock tavern at Boss and Commercial streets. The work will include resurfacing the driveway and installing a new sump pump and furnace at the 77-year-old building.

This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Kewanee considers expanding gaming fees program