* To think this man was at one point just months away from owning a racino…
The Illinois Gaming Board has moved to strip video gambling operator Rick Heidner of his license after accusing him of offering a $5 million “illegal inducement” to the owner of a chain of gambling parlors, records show.
State officials filed the action Tuesday, saying they had learned that Heidner, who operates Gold Rush Amusements, had offered the money after the owners of Laredo Hospitality told him they were moving to pull his video gambling machines from 44 of their gambling parlors, according to the complaint for disciplinary action filed with the board by its staff. The Tribune obtained the complaint through an open records request.
During a Nov. 16, 2018, meeting at a Rosemont steakhouse between Heidner and the CEO of Laredo, the executive told Heidner that after a recent ownership change, Laredo would be severing its relationship with Gold Rush, according to the complaint.
Two weeks later, Heidner met with Laredo’s new owner, Daniel Fischer, and offered to buy Laredo for $5 million more than Fischer had just paid for the company, according to the complaint. Fischer declined the offer, according to the complaint.
Heidner then sent a series of text messages to Laredo’s former CEO, Gary Leff, detailing the offer, the Gaming Board says.
Man, that is a huge video gaming empire which just went kerplop. Go read the rest.
*** UPDATE *** The Tribune has updated its story…
[Heidner spokesman Randall Samborn] called the allegations against Heidner “an orchestrated smear campaign,” describing Heidner as the victim of an “illegal inducement” paid by one of his competitors to replace Gold Rush at Laredo’s locations. He said they are related to an ongoing lawsuit.
- Telly - Wednesday, Dec 18, 19 @ 4:33 pm:
The reporter just posted the story, so maybe more details are to come, but this explanation is necessary: It would be illegal for him to own both the video distribution company (Gold Rush) and the retail outlets (Laredo.) I assume his plan was to set up a dummy corporation to hide his interest in the company that would buy Laredo.
- Wow - Wednesday, Dec 18, 19 @ 4:43 pm:
Those damn pesky text messages never go away
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Dec 18, 19 @ 5:05 pm:
Anonymous. I assume you didn’t read the article. He was offering $5 million to keep his machines in Laredo’s parlors. The gaming act specifically prohibits that sort of thing.
- Fat lady - Thursday, Dec 19, 19 @ 7:10 am:
Can you say lawsuit?
- Ebenezer - Thursday, Dec 19, 19 @ 11:19 am:
The headline is a bit overstated. The Gaming Board has said they intend to revoke his license. He has three weeks to file an appeal, then it can take years to resolve.
In the interim, as far as I know, he can run the business normally. I think the Lucky Lincoln (another terminal operator) case from 2017 is still open.
We will see if times have changed.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 20, 19 @ 9:34 am:
Heidner is a huge commercial property owner. He owns crap strip centers all over the place, and then leases out space in those centers to mom and pop gaming groups, who then lease his machines. I don’t understand how he hasn’t been shut down earlier. See his property in Berwyn on Roosevelt Road.