Governor appoints Chicago lawyer to Gaming Board

CHICAGO -- The Illinois Gaming Board's newest member said Monday that she hopes to find "creative solutions" to the battle over the Emerald Casino project in Rosemont.

Gov. George Ryan appointed Chicago lawyer Violet Clark to fill a vacancy on the board. She will complete the term of Robert Mariano, who stepped down in April.

Clark, a partner in a law firm that deals with employment and labor relations, wrote a letter to the governor in April asking for the appointment.

She said her 20 years of experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements would be valuable in the Emerald case.

While Clark said she had no opinion on how best to address Emerald, she believed with her help the board "might be able to find some creative solutions to resolve the issues."

The Gaming Board is battling Emerald in an administrative hearing to revoke the casino company's gambling license.

In January 2001, the board rejected Emerald's request to move its license from a shuttered boat in East Dubuque to Rosemont, a Chicago suburb near O'Hare International Airport.

Gaming Board officials claimed Emerald executives had lied to investigators and that two investors had mob ties.

Ryan has replaced four of the five board members involved in that vote. Clark's term will run until July 1, 2004.

The board is set to meet Wednesday to hear Emerald's latest settlement offer, which a source said would involve no profit for any Emerald shareholders.