ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE DIVIDING VIDEO GAMING TERMINAL FEES BETWEEN OPERATORS AND ESTABLISHMENTS.
Body
BACKGROUND:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigation measures put into place by the State of Illinois suspended all gaming through the Illinois Gaming Board between March 16, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Video gaming was again suspended from November 19, 2020 until January 26, 2021 for Region 2 (Peoria County). Hours of service continue to be restricted. Licensees were severely restricted in their ability to engage in video gaming in 2020 and that continued into 2021.
On January 12, 2021 the City adopted Ordinance No. 20-022 which generally provided the following relief to video gaming terminal license holders:
1. All video gaming licenses have been extended for two months. All licenses will now expire on April 30, 2021. No license holders have to pay any additional fees for this license extension.
2. The 2021 video gaming licenses will run from May 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022, thereby putting the annual renewals back in line with traditional due dates.
3. License holders (terminal licenses not operator licenses) will pay 50% of the license fee for 2021. Operators will pay the normal fee.
4. If a license holder who pays a discounted license fees is later found guilty by a state or hearing officer of Covid mitigation measures, the license holder will be required to pay the balance of the full license rate.
5. Late fees for the 2021 applications will not be assessed until May 1, 2021.
6. The requirements for licensees to maintain at least 60% of their revenue from food/beverage sales will be waived for 2021 license only, as the 365 days prior to renewal are likely to have irregular sales from mitigation measures.
The City did not reduce any fees for operator licensee.
The City received an inquiry into whether a terminal licensee and an operator lice...
Click here for full text