By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — A new business centered on video slots and locally sourced mixed drinks has opened on North Second Street across from the Meadow Mart Shopping Center.
Marty Gras Slots II, 6500 N. Second St., celebrated its ribbon-cutting on Thursday with The Parks Chamber of Commerce and officials from Loves Park and Machesney Park. It fills a former staffing agency building that had been vacant for about two years until Marty Gras Slots II had its soft opening earlier this year.
Related: Slot revenue in the Rockford region hit its second-highest total on record in 2023
Marty Gras’ color scheme plays off the theme of a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras celebration. Its name is a pun after co-owner Marty Stockton, who runs the business with Terry Bouray.
“We hope to have a neighborhood hangout where people come in and enjoy a drink or two and have fun playing the games,” Bouray said.
Stockton opened her first video gaming business at 347 E. Riverside Blvd. in September 2014. She and Bouray said they like doing business in Loves Park.
“We really liked being right here in Loves Park,” he said. “Loves Park really works with small businesses.”
The establishment will serve beer such as Bud Light and Modelo through LaMonica Beverages. It will also serve mixed drinks with rum, whiskey, gin and vodka from Barnstormer Distillery in Rockford and Rush Creek Distilling in Harvard.
“I think it’s very important that we support local businesses,” Bouray said. “And it’s good stuff, it competes with anybody taste-wise.”
Bouray and Stockton are also open to hosting small events, such a fundraiser recently put together for friend who is going through cancer treatments.
Related: Benny’s to open 2nd and 3rd locations at former Machesney Park Mall and Johnny Pamcakes in Cherry Valley
Video gambling began in Illinois in 2012 after state law legalized it in July 2009. It’s been a growing source of revenue for both the operators of the business and local governments.
Slot machines generated $27.5 million in revenue from gamblers for the 77 establishments that operated in Loves Park last year, according to data from the Illinois Gaming Board. That delivered $1.37 million in tax revenue for the city of Loves Park. Both figures were the second-highest on record for the city, following $28.2 million lost by gamblers in 2021, generating $1.4 million in taxes.
Gamblers lost $7.3 million through the first three months of 2024, generating $366,000 in taxes for the city of Loves Park, according to the board’s data. The monthly revenue figures for April are not yet available.
About | Marty Gras Slots II
Where: 6500 N. Second St., Loves Park
Hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday
On social: Find it on Facebook here
Contact: 815-977-4439
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas