Though board members didn't bring up Binion family problems before they voted, Anita Bedell, an anti-gambling activist, did raise the question of Ted and Bennie Binion's alleged mob ties during a public comment period. After 15 months of investigating, Vickrey said, he felt it best to at least partially approve the deal.Īpproval of the sale brings a windfall to the Illinois investor group, led by Empress CEO Peter Ferro, which opened the Joliet Empress in 1992 and Hammond Empress in 1996 for an initial sum of $24 million. Vickrey said that staff members had recommended delaying the vote to complete background checks on investors behind the new company-a move that would have dealt a serious setback to the merger because Indiana authorities had signed off on the deal as long as Illinois followed suit by Dec.