Arlington Hts. residents weigh in on track slots.(News)

Arlington Heights trustees mostly listened Monday night as residents sounded off on the possible addition of 1,200 slot machines at Arlington Park.

John Lundstrom, a 45-year resident of the village, said he is concerned the track will close if Arlington Park loses out on the slot machines.

"I'm in favor of anything that will keep the track open," he said.Susan Schmecher, a 36-year resident, agreed. She said the track brings in a lot of money from outside the community, including her husband's company from Chicago, which each year treats its employees to a day at the park and even gives them betting money."I can't even begin to realize if the track closed, where the village would make up for the lost revenue," she said.

However, Russell Maher, who lives about a mile and a half from the track, expressed concern about traffic from extended hours or days. "I love to gamble. Love to drink. Love the horse track," he said. "But what I don't love is my property values being taken down by increased traffic that is already way too high on my street."

Allison Anderson also opposed the additional machines. She said a study has shown that casinos take more money from the local economy than they put in. "Put simply, people who go to casinos have less money to spend on clothes, cars, food, rent, mortgages or restaurants. For people with significant gambling losses, it can mean loss of a home or family problems," she said."It can destroy the fabric of a neighborhood.

In addition to allowing 1,200 slot machines at Arlington Park, the gambling legislation sent to Gov. Pat Quinn would create five new casinos in Park City, Chicago, the South suburbs, Rockford and downstate Danville.
Quinn has called the proposed expansion excessive.