Troup: Illinois will not allow Quincy to be more restrictive when it comes to gaming

QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup hopes to have something to present to the Quincy City Council within two weeks that would modify how the city oversees video gaming operators.

There is one slight problem. Quincy doesn’t have much leeway.

“The state will not allow us to be more restrictive to gaming,” Troup said.

Troup said after last Wednesday’s “Lunch with the Mayor” he understands where business owners are coming from who want to either get into gaming or expand their current offerings. He met earlier this month with groups of business owners who have gaming in their establishments.

“Our intention is not to put anybody out of business,” Troup said. “The city’s got a vested interest in gaming … because the state’s given us five percent (of the proceeds) which comes into the city, and then we use that to help pay the pensions for fire and police.

“So what I want to do is separate the restaurants, bars and people who are just operating gaming, because it also gets into a zoning issue. To be a restaurant, you have to be in a particular area. There’s parking. A bar, depending on how big, it has different regulations. Gaming, I think, is different as well. And most gaming parlors really do not, will not or could not survive on their liquor sales.”

That’s where a potential expansion for all license holders may come in.

“So everyone, every category, would like to get to six (video gaming terminals), which is the state’s max,” Troup said. “A lot of the restaurants, bars, current operators with three machines, which is what everybody else is limited to, are interested to be able to get more as well. I’m thinking we aren’t quite ready, but I’m thinking to allow, instead of three, to go up to a higher number. Then to do six, I think you’re going to have that A-1 license.

“Now, the question is, do we? You go from three to five, you have to pay $10,000? Do we have to go to six? Are we going to pay more than the $10,000? Are we going to keep it? If I can read between the lines … we can do something about there’s just so many of these coming, but other than the issuance of liquor licenses, there’s not a lot you can do about it there.”

Troup said the city’s liquor code needs an upgrade. There also are instances where an establishment has had a liquor license for decades, but because they didn’t get in on the ground floor of gaming or they purchased an establishment that didn’t have gaming, they cannot expand because of the city’s rules.

Troup said the city’s outdated liquor ordinance is not compliant with the state. Assistant Corporation Counsel Bruce Alford has been worked on the ordinance except what’s the license and what’s the fee — which has to go to the City Council for their approval.

“But you look at the restaurants, the bars, you know, the last two years have been tough,” Troup said. “I don’t want to see an increase in fees to be able to serve somebody a beer. So I’m not looking at proposing any significant increase at all there. That’s one way to limit other gaming parlors though. You’re going to have to pay. That’s where I think, at least the $10,000 to get you to the six machines, something like that, personally, I think still makes sense.”

Trevor Beck bought Instant Replay in 2018 and has three gaming machines in his establishment. He was one of the owners who attended an Oct. 20 meeting with the mayor. He said the discussion was productive.

“I appreciate the (mayor’s) transparency and his objective,” Beck said. “If it’s more revenue for the city and the bar owner, why limit someone to three machines if they want to pay the higher license fee?”

Beck also pointed out the discrepancy between Quincy’s rules and Adams County’s rules, which allow more machines.

“Ayerco at 48th and State has three, but you can go right across 48th Street and other places have six,” Beck said.

“As a private business person, they have opportunities they make a decision … to make an investment,” Troup said. “It may not necessarily be your personal cup of tea, but there’s nothing says that you can restrict it either.”

2021 Liquor Licenses