Mevzuat
US – Union Gaming says Illinois laws will price investors out of Chicago casino
By Phil - 14 Ağustos 2019
Illinois’ gaming laws will price casino groups out of competing in the race to operate in Chicago according to a feasibility carried out by Union Gaming Analytics.
The report says that the “onerous” tax and fee structure will make it difficult, if not impossible, to attract investors as they won’t might not make a profit for a decade.
Bir kumarhaneyi işletmek için, yatırımcının 250,000 $'lık ön başvuru ücretini, lisans verildiğinde 15 milyon $'lık 'uzlaşma' ücretini ve 120 milyon $'a kadar kumar pozisyonu ücretini ödemesi gerekiyor. Daha sonra tüm Illinois kumarhaneleri tarafından ödenen mevcut vergi yapısına ek olarak yüzde 33.3 oranında ek bir 'ayrıcalık vergisi'ne tabi olacaklar.
Union Gaming şunu belirtti: "Uzlaşma ücreti tek başına, [Düzeltilmiş Brüt Gelirler] vergi yapısı kapsamında onlarca yıl olmasa da uzun yıllar boyunca elde edilen karları silecektir. Beş tesisin tamamının yatırım getirisi profili, burada öngörülen beş yıl boyunca olumsuz olmasa da ortalamanın altındadır. Uzlaşma ücreti sadece fizibilite eksikliğini büyütmekle kalmıyor, aynı zamanda geliştiricinin finansman alma olanağının kapısını da kapatıyor.”
The results of the study, conducted by the Las Vegas-based Union Gaming Analytics, echo concerns from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on the ability of a casino to make money.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had already expressed her concerns. She said: “We have been clear from day one that the creation of a new casino for Chicago has to be financially viable and address the revenue needs of the City of Chicago. While the study confirms our concerns about the tax structure that the legislature passed, we know that this can be addressed, and we look forward to working with the governor and legislative leaders to revise the legislation and ensure a new casino will be beneficial for Chicago’s communities and the entire state.”
Five sites had been put forward for consideration for the Chicago casino last month. They included: Harborside (111th Street and the Bishop Ford Freeway), the former Michael Reese hospital (31st Street and Cottage Grove); Pershing and State; Roosevelt and Kostner; and the former US Steel parcel (80th Street and Lake Shore Drive).
However, the mayor said: “There’s no location or combination of amenities that makes this deal one that can actually get financed. That’s exactly the point that we made to the legislative folks who were putting this together. And now, I think we’ve got a definitive, independent judgment that makes that clear.”
Mayor Lightfoot also highlighted ‘the incredible upside potential of a casino in Chicago that will dwarf the revenues that have been generated by any other casino in the state by many magnitudes.’
“Getting this right is in everybody’s interest, not just Chicago, she added. “This is something that is going to generate, if it’s done right, substantial revenues for the state.”
In a recent survey, the largest percentage of respondents, 36 per cent, said the best location for the Chicago casino was near downtown.
Anket katılımcılarına ayrıca bir kumarhane sitesi seçerken en önemli faktörler ve bir kumarhanede hangi olanakların inşa edilmesini istedikleri soruldu. Restoranlar yüzde 58 ile ilk sırada yer alırken, bunu yüzde 51 ile tiyatro/canlı eğlence ve yüzde 41 ile otel izledi.
Genişleme ayrıca Illinois'de Chicago, Danville, Waukegan, Rockford, güney banliyö Cook County ve güney Illinois'deki Williamson County'de bulunan altı ek kumarhaneye de izin veriyor.
