There will be a gaming cafe along Kankakee’s North Entrance Avenue after all.

On Tuesday, the Kankakee City Council – with Mayor Chris Curtis casting the deciding vote – granted a conditional-use permit for a gaming cafe at 604 N. Entrance Ave.

With Curtis casting the needed vote, the cafe operators received the go-ahead on an 8-6 vote.

“I don’t think it’s a bad location” for this type of business, Curtis said after the meeting.

While not a proponent of gaming, Curtis said how people spend their money is not up to him.

Curtis cast the needed eighth vote in favor of the needed conditional-use permit vote. Council member Lance Marczak abstained from the vote, citing a potential conflict of interest.

Without the mayor’s vote, the request would have failed, as eight votes were needed for approval.

This North Entrance gaming cafe will feature six video poker machines and will be owned and operated by Kankakee resident Rosa Dowdy.

Two weeks ago, the Kankakee Planning Board rejected the permit request by a 5-0 vote.

However, the council did an about-face on the planning board’s decision and granted the needed permit.

The city had one remaining gaming cafe permit available, and Curtis said this location was not inappropriate for this type of business.

Once the site of a church, the North Entrance location has been vacant for an extended period.

The conditional-use permit was necessary to operate the business in the light industrial-zoned district. The property is directly east of Hemenover Construction Co., 639 N. Entrance Ave.

The permit to operate a gaming cafe also carries with it a liquor license. The owner said liquor would only be offered to those playing a gaming machine, meaning the location would not be known as a bar.

It is not clear when the location will open.