Chicago Releases Casino Interest Survey For City Residents

The city of Chicago released an online survey on Friday designed to gauge Chicago’s interest in the proposed first-ever city casino.

The survey is anonymous and voluntary, and can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JQB9JXT.

This is all part of a financial feasibility assessment and community engagement process that Mayor Lori Lightfoot is currently competing. Once completed, the casino is expected to bring in over 1,000 jobs for the city.

“We are launching a survey that will give our residents a voice in informing how this development can drive the maximum benefit for all communities,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement, according to Chicago Business. “We are committed to a transparent process for ensuring all voices can be heard.”

What the Survey Entails

The first five questions allow multiple answers, and begins asking by Chicagoans their ideal general location for a casino, followed by what one thinks should be the most important factors in selecting a site.

The next question regards what amenities can be built around the casino. Personal opinion on biggest benefits and biggest concerns residents round out the multiple answer section.

Residents are then asked, on a scale of 0-100, their interest in working at the casino, as well as one’s general sentiment about building a casino “to increase the City's financial stability.”

Residents are also asked how often they might visit the casino, as well as additional comments they might want to make. Zip code and age range are the two identifiers requested, likely for demographic purposes.

On top of English, the survey will be available in other languages, including Polish, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, and Hindi.

How The Survey Will Be Used

WGN reports the survey will run through fall, though Lightfoot and her office will share initial results by mid August. The initial results will coincide with the financial feasibility report release by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Prior to the release of the survey, Lightfoot presented five locations for the new casino that comes in the South or West sides of the City of Chicago last Wednesday.

Union Gaming Analytics, a Las Vegas-based consulting firm, is being used to determine the economics of the Chicago casino proposal.

That feasibility study, along with the survey that was launched on Friday, will help Lightfoot and her office determine the best spot possible for the new casino.

There are still a lot of obstacles, but having the survey out is another avenue and resource to figure this casino deal out.

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