LANSING | The Village Board is not enthused with Calumet City's quest to build a casino complex along the border between the two towns, and wants assurances that its neighbor would help cover additional public safety expenses a casino would bring.

Village officials on Tuesday discussed the issue, and said they likely would pass a resolution some time in December saying they approve the idea that Calumet City will share some of a casino's proceeds with surrounding towns.

But Mayor Dan Podgorski said there's no way Lansing will endorse the idea of building a casino in Calumet City. "It will be a pretty clear statement that we do not support a casino," he said.

The resolution is being considered because Calumet City is asking governments in the surrounding towns to take an official stance on the idea of a riverboat casino in the Little Calumet River south and west of the River Oaks Shopping Center.

That location literally would put a boat on Lansing's northern border.

Podgorski said Lansing likely would be affected the most of any town, since he suspects Interstate 80 and Torrence Avenue would be the most popular roads used by people throughout the south suburbs who decide to patronize a Calumet City casino.

He also expects Lansing's police and fire departments would be called upon to assist Calumet City officials in terms of maintaining safety at a casino and the surrounding area.

"This is going to have a direct impact on our costs," the mayor said.

Podgorski said he would want a Calumet City casino resolution to resemble the measure the village board passed in 2004 when Lynwood officials considered a partnership with an American Indian tribe to build a land-based casino in that town just south of Lansing.

That resolution merely said Lansing would expect reimbursement for its public safety expenses.

Agreeing with such a sentiment was trustee Norm Abbott. "I don't support building a gambling casino there, and I don't want us approving anything that supports it," he said.

Trustee Bob Ryan had one concern about Podgorski's proposed resolution -- it would not specify how much money Lansing would receive from Calumet City, which could mean the amount could turn out to be an insignificant figure.

"They never offer us figures of how much they'll give us," Ryan said. "I'm very skeptical that we would get anything."

Calumet City is one of three south suburban towns, along with Harvey and Country Club Hills, vying for the 10th casino license that currently is unfilled. Those three are among seven locations across the Chicago area that would like to have the new casino built within their boundaries.