I’ve never been a smoker, nor am I a gambler, but I must confess to enjoying lavish buffets, due to the generosity of casino customers who do smoke and gamble (and at a considerable savings, I might add).
From Las Vegas to the Caribbean, I’ve experienced and accepted the reality that smoking and gambling go together, sort of like politics and lying. It’s just a fact of life.
That’s why I’m perplexed as to why Illinois, surrounded by neighboring states (like Missouri) with casinos, would impose a public smoking ban without granting exemptions to casinos and bars which, historically, are bastions for smokers.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I hate cigarette and cigar smoke and avoid it 99 percent of the time. However, who am I to begrudge others the right to kill themselves with tobacco or spend their dollars as they choose?
The larger problem here is the infinite “wis-dumb” of the IL legislators who refuse to exempt casinos and bars, given the competition across state lines for gambling dollars.
For example, since the smoking ban became law on January 1, Illinois casinos have reported a 17 percent statewide drop in gaming revenues.
East Saint Louis Casino Queen GM Tom Monaghan directly attributes the loss in revenues and customers to the smoking ban. And if one woman’s profanity-laced tirade (which I witnessed) during a recent meal at the Casino Queen is any indication, then many others have probably opted to kick the Queen to the curb because of their inability to smoke and gamble at the same time.
Apparently, the woman had been asked to extinguish her cigarette in the casino prior to cursing (and threatening) one particular cocktail waitress who was simply doing her job. I’m sure the competition loves to hear that kind of news.
And with Pinnacle’s $507 million Lumiere Place casino’s recent opening across the river (within months of the opening of Casino Queen’s newest property), it appears that gamblers are running to Lumiere, where smoking is allowed.
That’s a major problem for the Casino Queen, as well as for the city of ESL, where 50 percent of the operating revenue comes from the Casino Queen. Therefore, as the casino goes, so goes the financial future of ESL.
Subsequently, if IL legislators don’t come to the rescue with smoking exemptions for casinos, then this law may be the beginning of the end for the Casino Queen and other casinos throughout Illinois.
However, in the meantime, the Casino Queen must become more creative with the things it does have control of. For example, upon the opening of its new property, management closed the popular sports bar, causing the empty former casino structure to look like a ghost town.
The new restaurants (with the exception of fine dining) are hideous. The buffet offers the same boring, unimaginative food, day in and day out, and the diner is less than mediocre.
Compare that with the exceptional restaurants and buffets at Missouri casinos Lumiere, Ameristar and Harrah’s and it leaves gamblers with little reason to frequent the Casino Queen.
To be fair, the worst casino buffets and restaurants in Vegas are better than most casino offerings in the St. Louis metropolitan area but at least Lumiere, Ameristar and Harrah’s and others seem, at least, to try.
Even if the smoking ban were eliminated overnight, it appears that the Casino Queen needs a definite infusion of new management and fresh ideas if it plans to survive in the competitive regional gaming market.
So, long term, if IL legislators fail to get a clue and move to relax the smoking ban for casinos and if the Casino Queen fails to be more creative, then the Casino Queen may, eventually, become a memory. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.