Information provided by Calumet City
CALUMET CITY, Ill. (November 16, 2020) – Calumet City Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush joined aldermen, firefighters, city officials, community leaders, and residents at a drive-thru turkey giveaway at the future site of the proposed Southland Live Casino. About 650 turkeys worth $10,000 were distributed in an hour at River Oaks Center.
“This generous donation means a lot for our community,” Mayor Markiewicz Qualkinbush said. “We know many families will have a joyful Thanksgiving with one less expense this holiday and we are so grateful to Southland Live Casino and Delaware North for making it possible.”
Mayor Markiewicz Qualkinbush welcomed representatives from Delaware North, the casino’s gaming operator that sponsored the event. All participants were masked, practiced social distancing, and recipients stayed in their vehicles as volunteers brought turkeys to their cars.
Prior to the drive-thru event Monday, Calumet City officials and Southland Live Casino worked with the Community Resource Center, which provides food and clothing to residents in need, to deliver 72 turkeys to the families it serves.
Proposed casino site
Osi Imomoh, Regional General Manager for Delaware North’s Gaming Division, helped to distribute the turkeys and shared information about the proposed casino. Calumet City is one of four south suburban municipalities that has applied for a casino license, along with Homewood, Lynwood, and Matteson. A decision on which municipality will receive the license has been delayed and is at least six months away.
“From the beginning, we’ve emphasized that this casino will be a community partnership and today’s event reflects our commitment to the community and its residents,” Imomoh said. “Within 90 days of being awarded the license, Southland Live Casino will open a temporary casino at River Oaks’ former Carson Pirie Scott, immediately generating jobs and revenue for the region and state.”
Related
- Work continues on Calumet City riverwalk and canoe launch
Mayor, five Trustees approve letter of support for Cal City casino (November 2019)
Turkeys from the casino? This is pretty low, even for Cal-City. The last thing this town needs is more vice. And the city has the nerve to hand out those darn turkeys like they themselves are giving to the community? malarkey…. You can bet somebody’s getting alot more than a turkey for that casino deal. What a joke.