Orland Park Residents Reject Video Gaming

ORLAND PARK, IL -- Orland Park residents said no to video gaming, answering two opposite referendum questions in Tuesday’s primary. Village board members rushed to place a question on the ballot asking residents if video gaming should be approved with restrictions. Citizens opposed to gambling in Orland Park got their own question on the ballot asking if video gaming should be prohibited.

On the question of whether video gaming should be prohibited, 6,353 answered yes to the question, and 5,627 responded no, according to unofficial tallies.

On the question if video gaming should be approved, 6,159 responded no and 5,898 answered yes. Orland Park village board members said they would abide by the people’s will on both questions.

Claiming their policy-making process was politically hijacked, village board members put their own question on the ballot to allow video gaming in Orland Park with caveats. A citizens group opposed to video gaming fielded their own question prohibiting video gaming outright.

Orland Park’s mayor and trustees have said bringing additional revenue into the village is needed to compensate for diminishing revenue from Orland Square Mall and other brick and mortar. Owners of establishments with Class A liquor licenses say they need video gaming to compete against corporate franchises and nearby towns where video gaming is allowed.

Residents opposed to gambling think allowing video gaming machines will lead to crime in the village and an unsavory environment for families. Included in the ranks of those opposed to video gaming is Village Clerk John Mehalek.

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