Arlington Heights officials are on record as opposing slots at the track, since 1987 with non-binding village board resolution. Tom Stengren is expected to ask the village board to reaffirm its position against slots at Tuesday’s upcoming village board meeting. Tom Hayes and Joe Farwell are also on record to oppose slot machines and video poker.
House Speaker Michael Madigan recently backed a massive gambling expansion plan that supersedes Village Arlington Heights authority and is intended to bail out the state’s budget woes.
Arlington Park, Arlington Park President Roy Arnold said a renewal of the anti-slots resolution would send a bad message to state lawmakers and not reflect the opinion of most Arlington Heights residents. Roy Arnold maintains that the track cannot compete and survive without slot machines.