It's much more than a bidding war for the 10th Illinois casino license, which has been dormant since July 1997 and has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.

The choices include those proposed in Waukegan, Des Plaines, Rosemont, Stickney, Calumet City, Harvey and Country Club Hills.

They all have strong points, but Stickney is unique among the bidders because of its existing horse-racing facility, Hawthorne Race Course, which is still alive and kicking after 117 years.

The proposed $500,000-million development, Champions Casino & Resort, would include, in addition to a 40,000-square-foot casino and race track, a 300-room casino hotel; 150,000-square-foot water park resort with 400 all-inclusive suites; bowling lounge; restaurants; multiscreen movie theater; and a 4,800-seat outdoor subterranean amphitheater.

As such, the Illinois horse-racing industry would be a stakeholder in the license and reap 15 percent of the revenues.

Tim Carey, president of Hawthorne and representative of the development partners, said the racing operations at the track would be upgraded.

"We would demolish the present grandstand and build a racing facility for this day and age," Carey said. "It would be a smaller, more intimate facility to rival anything that's out there now."

Carey said that if granted the license, they will invest $20 million to get the casino up and running in six months. The remainder of the project would be a phased development to be completed in stages.

Champions Casino & Resort would be the closest casino to downtown Chicago. Horseshoe Hammond is 18 miles away from the heart of the loop, a 29-minute drive. Hawthorne is 10 miles away, a 17-minute drive.

The Illinois Gaming Board will select the winner by the end of the year.

But even if Hawthorne doesn't get the nod this time around, the seed is planted for "racino" operations in Illinois if the number of gaming licenses is ever expanded in the state.

Casino news & notes

Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel is having a Halloween Party with surprises for all guests tonight at Stage 151 located in the pavilion adjacent to the casino floor. The group Spoken Four will provide the musical entertainment.

Gladys Knight has been booked for a concert at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond at 8 p.m. Dec. 7. Tickets are on sale at TicketMaster or thevenue-chicago.com.

A Honda Civic Hybrid is the grand prize in the "Get In Gear Giveaway" every Thursday and Friday in November at Empress Casino Hotel in Joliet. One hundred guests will be randomly selected at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. drawings each day of the promotion to win gift cards and entries into the drawing for the car, which will be held 6 p.m. Nov. 30.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at jbrokopp@comcast.net.