East Central Reporter

The Village of Tinley Park, Illinois, recently released a video on its official website revealing details about the efforts to purchase a former state mental health center property. The video highlights the complex legislative maneuvers and last-minute decisions surrounding the acquisition of the 280-acre site by the Tinley Park Park District for developing a Racino—a combination of a horse racing track with casino facilities—rather than allowing the village to pursue its long-term plans for the area.

Allegations in the video suggest that Representative Robert Rita and Senator Michael Hastings collaborated to amend specific bills, namely the "Invest in Kids Act" and "Alopecia Awareness Month," to facilitate selling this state-owned property to the park district for just one dollar. It is noted that Rep. Rita's daughter holds positions both as a Park District Commissioner and an employee of Illinois Central Management Services, which previously owned the property.

The video further claims that State Senator Michael Hastings engaged in intimidation tactics against Mayor Michael Glotz. Allegedly, Hastings demanded Glotz's endorsement for election as a condition for advancing legislation necessary for Tinley Park's acquisition of the mental health project through Senate channels. Moreover, it is claimed that Hastings threatened to "ruin his (Glotz) life" using his financial resources to file a defamation lawsuit against him.

The full video is available on Tinley Park's official webpage.