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Aurora Downtown Lawyer Continues To Offer VGT Despite New City Council Rules

The old bar in downtown Aurora, known as The Question Mark, will continue to offer video gambling terminals, even though the city has limited the number of gambling machines available to local customers.

The name of the bar has been changed to "The Web" since 1977 when former owner Beverly Bergby took over from her mother, and will continue to operate under the same name under the name of Bergby's nephew, Dan Adeline. When considering the ownership change, it seems that Mr. Adeline will now have to apply for a new A-list liquor license for Aurora City officials. The new license is expected to be approved at a regular council meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Although there are currently video gambling terminals on the web, the bar requires a new gaming license from both the state and the city of Aurora. The new owner of the venue says he is currently in talks with the state gaming board regarding the new license. After the state gambling regulator provides him with a license, he must obtain a separate license for gambling terminals from city officials.

According to Wendy McCambridge, an Aurora City clerk, obtaining a new gambling terminal operating license will not be a problem, although the city's jurisdiction has changed the rules for video gambling.

New rules on VGT unveiled by Aurora City Council
Aurora officials passed a new rule regulating the number of gambling terminals in the city. The legislative package also contains some rules that regulate the geographical distribution of machines.

City councilors announced their decision to impose a greater tax on local operators providing such machines, with a limit on the number of VGTs in Aurora. The decision to change the rules governing video gambling provision in the city was made by Aurora City Council in an effort to find the right balance between the future expansion pursued by video gambling on the one hand and the protection of Hollywood casinos' performance on the other.

Under the new rules, businesses that offer video gambling must be more than 1.5 miles away from each other. However, the Web is located closer than other bars offering VGTs in downtown Aurora, Miss Lee. Nevertheless, Mr. McCambridge explained that the rule change only applies to new establishments. Considering the fact that the web is operating through a change of ownership, she said the bar should have no problem meeting the city council's requirements to obtain a local gaming license.

The new regulation announced by Congress earlier this year will reduce the total number of video game terminals in the city to 200, and local agencies will not be able to provide fewer than five machines.