Frankfort Township Board Objects, but County Commission Recommends Bar with Video Gaming

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | October 21, 2025

Article Summary: Despite a formal objection from the Frankfort Township Board, the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval for a special use permit to establish a bar with video gaming in a Frankfort Township commercial strip mall. The proposal from Shankaraya Inc to open the bar in a former dry-cleaning unit now moves to the full Will County Board for a final vote.

Frankfort Video Gaming Bar Key Points:

• The Proposal: A special use permit was requested for a bar at 7663 West St. Francis Road, which is required for the owner to obtain a liquor license for on-site consumption, a prerequisite for a state video gaming license.

• Township Opposition: The Frankfort Township Board reviewed the case at its September 8, 2025, meeting and sent a formal recommendation that the special use permit “NOT move forward.”

• Staff Recommendation: County land use staff recommended approval, finding the bar would not be detrimental to public welfare and was consistent with other commercial and recreational uses in the area.

• Next Step: The conflicting recommendations from the township and the county commission will be considered by the Will County Board, which holds the final authority on the permit.

JOLIET, IL – A proposal for a new bar with video gaming in unincorporated Frankfort Township was recommended for approval by the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, setting up a potential conflict with local officials who have formally objected to the plan.

The applicant, Dipkrit LLC, with agent Christian James of Elite Gaming, requested a special use permit to operate a bar in a vacant 910-square-foot unit in a multi-tenant commercial building at 7663 West St. Francis Road. The location was previously a dry cleaner’s. The special use permit is a necessary step for the business to obtain a county liquor license that allows for on-site alcohol consumption, which is a requirement to apply for a state video gaming license.

While county planning staff recommended approval with conditions, the proposal drew a direct rebuke from the Frankfort Township Board. According to a memo from the Will County Land Use Department, the township board reviewed the zoning case at its regular meeting on September 8, 2025, and subsequently sent an email stating it “recommends that the Special Request Zoning Case# ZC-25-077 NOT move forward.” The email did not provide specific reasons for the objection.

Despite the township’s opposition, county staff presented a favorable analysis to the commission. Marguerite Kenny, a zoning administrator with the Land Use Department, noted in her report that the area is already developed for commercial, residential, and recreational purposes. The neighboring multi-tenant development includes two restaurants and a liquor store. The Frankfort Square Park District’s Square Links Golf Club is also located nearby.

Staff’s report concluded that the bar would not be “injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity” and is “unlikely to detrimentally affect property values or other development.”

The proposed bar plans to operate from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with six proposed video gaming terminals. The business is expected to generate an estimated ten daily vehicle trips. The applicant was granted 17 parking spaces in the shared lot, exceeding the minimum of 14 required by county ordinance.

The Frankfort Fire Protection District also reviewed the proposal and submitted comments requiring the installation of new electrical receptacles by a licensed electrician and connecting the new unit to the existing fire alarm system.

The conflicting recommendations now place the final decision in the hands of the Will County Board. The board will have to weigh the staff’s assessment that the business fits the commercial character of the area against the expressed opposition from the local township government.