Arlington Heights Village President Arlene Mulder is torn over the state senate’s passage of a bill that would expand gambling at Arlington Park: She wants the race track to stay viable, but isn’t happy that the village’s home-rule powers could be usurped.

The bill, which passed the senate 31-20, would allow up to 1,200 slots of Arlington Park and not give the village any say over the gambling expansion. The park would be regulated as casinos are now.

The bill must be passed by the House and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn to become law. Lawmakers have adjourned their short session.

To Mulder, keeping the track operating is paramount since its closing would cost the village about $1 million.  The state’s race tracks have said they need slots to compete with casinos.

“Our concern has always been the viability of the park,” she said.

The fate of the Sheraton Hotel, which has been vacant since last December, is also tied to the park, she said. “Several investors looked at it, but the potential of the closing of Arlington Park, it’s not going to help that spot,” she said.

Mulder’s focus on the financial impact was upsetting to Nancy Duel, who represents Residents in Favor of Home Rule, a local group that opposes slots at the track.

“She’s doesn’t seem to be concerned that their home rule is being overruled, it’s all about the viability of the track,” Duel said. “How long and how many ways do we have to prop up the track?”

Arlington Park spokesperson Thom Serafin said the park already is losing out, with several of the better horses moving on to race in Indiana and New Jersey.

“The most important thing in our view is it preserves thousands of jobs,” Seraphin said of the bill, adding that the track is just a small part of a very large bill.

Adding the slots would save and create jobs at the park, he said.