Published on: December 12, 2025, 03:32h.
Updated on: December 11, 2025, 02:46h.
- Boyd Gaming aims to comply with Illinois’ riverboat gaming regulations by creating a water basin in East Peoria.
- The basin is set to hold approximately 1,000 gallons of water.
- A land-based casino would need to be operational in Peoria.
Boyd Gaming is making strides to remain a key player in East Peoria, Illinois.
Following extensive discussions and disputes between city authorities in East Peoria and Peoria, which are divided by the Illinois River, Boyd Gaming, headquartered in Las Vegas, has unveiled its proposal to create a “modernized riverboat” that will maintain its entertainment and resort offerings on the eastern banks of the river.
On Thursday, Boyd presented an initial concept to the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) aiming to replace the Par-A-Dice Casino riverboat with a larger, upgraded venue. In compliance with an intercity governmental agreement from 1991, which dictates that a state-issued license must transfer across the river to Peoria if land-based gaming is sanctioned, the company plans to create a modest water feature beneath the primarily land-based casino complex.
The proposal includes a 1,000-gallon water basin that will be replenished by the Illinois River and will sit below the concrete foundation of the planned facility. Boyd’s envisioned “modernized riverboat” is to be constructed adjacent to the existing Par-A-Dice Hotel, mainly on its southern facade.
Boyd Casino: Above Water, Below Expectations
Boyd Gaming is on a mission to revitalize its gaming operations at the Illinois riverboat, as revenue generated from East Peoria’s slot machines and table games has plummeted from $82.5 million in 2006 to only $60.5 million last year.
The city of Peoria and East Peoria share the 5% local portion of the gaming tax generated by Par-A-Dice. East Peoria retains all additional tax income generated from the casino, which includes revenue from hotel bookings, food and beverages, entertainment, weddings, and meetings.
When Boyd announced plans to boost its Par-A-Dice operations, Peoria officials promptly reminded the casino operators and East Peoria’s local government of their 1991 agreement. Illinois lawmakers permitted land-based casinos in 2019.
Despite the fact that Boyd’s new envisioned Par-A-Dice structure is largely compared to a land-based facility, the inclusion of the underground water feature appears to align with the state’s legal definition of a riverboat casino.
“Riverboat gaming… may be authorized upon any water within the State of Illinois,” reads Section 3(c) of the Illinois Gambling Act.
The Act does not specify the amount of water that a docked or anchored riverboat must hover above. Boyd’s suggested 1,000-gallon basin is roughly equated to the size of a standard residential propane or water tank.
Peoria Evaluating the Proposal
Peoria officials have indicated that they only became aware of Boyd Gaming’s plans for East Peoria during Thursday’s meeting with the IGB. City officials and their legal teams will take necessary time to assess the Boyd proposal and determine the appropriate course of action.
Boyd’s proposal includes a sprawling 29,000-square-foot casino, over 20,000 square feet of meeting space, a new premium steakhouse, a beer pub, and a porte-cochère entrance.
The existing Par-A-Dice riverboat currently offers 550 slot machines, 18 table games, and a FanDuel sportsbook. The new casino proposal could potentially provide even more gaming opportunities.