Supporters of a proposed bingo hall in southern DeKalb County will have to wait a little longer for the backing of county officials.
Supporters and opponents of a Potawatomi gambling operation near Shabbona lined up to weigh in at Wednesday night’s county board meeting. But there wasn’t much to say. The board voted to postpone a declaration of support for the 24/7 electronic bingo hall. DeKalb County Board chair Mark Pietrowski says board members want more information and tribal leaders want the chance to explain their plan. They want to emphasize the project is a bingo hall, not a casino. The tribe says that's the biggest misconception about the proposal.
Pietrowski says it will be a month or two before the board takes up the resolution of support again.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation doesn’t need the county board to go ahead with its plan, but community support is expected to be a plus in getting federal approval. The land was recognized as belonging to the tribe’s chief Shab-eh-nay in an 1829 treaty and was later sold out from under him.
