Empress Casino

Empress operates two gambling boats, one in Joliet, Illinois, and the other in Hammond, Indiana. Both were owned by the Horseshoe Gaming Holding Company until July 2001, when Horseshoe Gaming Holding Company sold the Joliet casino to Argosy Gaming Company, a company whose chairman is Republican power broker and former Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary William Cellini, for $475 million. In 2000, the Illinois Gaming Board accused Horseshoe Gaming Holding Company of failing to disclose its subsidiary interests, which include the Horseshoe License Company and the South China Development Partnership, and of over-reporting minority participation in its Louisiana casino by millions of dollars. Empress Casino has, along with numerous other gambling interests, threatened to cut hours and jobs at their riverboat establishments in an effort to prevent a tax increase on casinos. This follows closely on the heels of an intense lobbying effort to allow casino expansion by putting electronic poker machines in bars and race tracks as well as creating an additional casino license.

Empress Casino is a career patron of former Senate President James "Pate" Philip (R).

From 1993 to December 31, 2002, Empress Casino gave $1,002,000 to candidates for Illinois statewide constitutional and legislative office, 56% of which was contributed to Republicans.

Last revised June 2011.